She insisted that she neither solicited nor received illicit payments during her time in office.
Appearing at Southwark Crown Court, the 65-year-old told the court that she acted with integrity in the award of government contracts, rejecting claims brought against her by prosecutors.
“I can state categorically that at no point did I ask for, take or receive a bribe of any sort from these persons and did not abuse my office. I always sought to act impartially”, she said during her testimony.
Prosecutors allege that several Nigerian businessmen financed luxury expenses on her behalf, including over £2 million spent at Harrods and approximately £4.6 million used to refurbish properties in London and Buckinghamshire.
The court was told she had access to multiple high-value properties, including a £2.8 million residence in Marylebone and other luxury homes across the United Kingdom.
However, Alison-Madueke disputed these claims, explaining that expenses incurred during official engagements were reimbursed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company.
She said logistical arrangements were handled by a London-based service firm due to what she described as the organisation’s “messy” financial structure.
“They paid for all my hotels, chauffeurs… to allow me to perform the job that I did,” she told the court.
The former minister also said she was not involved in arranging a five-day Christmas stay in 2011 at a property in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, where she stayed with members of her extended family.
She further testified that during a later visit lasting over two weeks, she worked alongside 10 to 12 officials on a publication highlighting a Nigerian president’s support for women.
“I took it upon myself to put together that book to showcase what he did for women,” she said.
Alison-Madueke also explained that a property overlooking Regent’s Park was used for “discrete” official meetings, while another property cited by prosecutors was still undergoing renovations and was not habitable at the time of her visit.
The court heard that she and her mother stayed in apartments in St John’s Wood, with rent allegedly paid by Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko.
Alison-Madueke argued that the arrangement was more economical than hotel stays, which she said could cost as much as £2,000 per night at establishments such as the Savoy and the Dorchester.
She also denied any knowledge of a £100,000 cash delivery allegedly made by one of her chauffeurs, insisting the funds were not linked to her.
During her testimony, Alison-Madueke recounted her rise through the ranks at Shell, where she became the company’s first senior female executive in Nigeria.
She noted that her career progression came despite earlier tensions between the company and her father.
She also criticised the handling of oil spills in the Niger Delta, stating that more should have been done to address environmental damage in the region.
On personal security, she told the court that Nigeria is “a very patriarchal society,” adding that her position as a female minister exposed her to significant risks.
“A woman sitting at the helm was a major no-no,” she said, claiming she faced “dire threats of kidnap” and that members of her family had previously been abducted.
Alison-Madueke has denied five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Also standing trial is Olatimbo Ayinde, an
oil industry executive , who has denied charges of bribery and bribing a foreign public official.
Her brother, Doye Agama, is also contesting a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.
