On Friday, the United States pledged that it would return $52.88 million in assets seized in Nigeria as part of a long-running corruption investigation against Diezani Alison-Madui, former oil minister and associates, as per the joint statement from Nigeria's justice minister and United States government.

This marks the first return of wealth linked to Allison-Madueke, Nigeria's oil minister, from 2010 to 2015. She gained a reputation as an influential figure under former President Goodluck Jonathan and became the oil alliance OPEC's first female president.

During Allison-Madueke's trial, US authorities seized assets in 2023 that included a superyacht and prime real estate in New York and California. Alison-Madueke’s tenure became mired in controversy over allegations of widespread corruption. Nigeria's anti-corruption agencies have also seized other luxury items and properties allegedly linked to her.

 As part of the agreement, out of the repatriated funds, $50 million of the recovered funds will support rural electrification projects in Nigeria. In comparison, $2.88 million will fund the rule of law and counterterrorism initiatives. As a minister, Alison-Madueke promised to improve the oil industry, but authorities accused her and her colleagues of stealing millions of dollars in public funds. Authorities claim that many of these assets were held in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Repatriation of funds highlights Nigeria's ongoing efforts to recover looted wealth, particularly under international cooperation frameworks. However, Alison-Madueke has consistently denied the accusations. While Nigeria has recovered domestic assets linked to Alison-Madueke, such as jewellery and cars, the return of overseas funds reflects growing global accountability.  Nigerian authorities have underscored the importance of transparency in utilising the returned funds to ensure their allocation to public benefit programs. 

This development reflects the growing emphasis on accountability and the reclamation of stolen assets to promote meaningful development in Nigeria.