Nigeria, April 17 -- Nigeria's former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Wednesday said she had limited direct control over the award of oil contracts during her tenure as minister.

Testifying on Day 18 of her trial, Mrs Alison-Madueke told the Southwark Crown Court that her role was largely procedural within a complex bureaucratic system.

The minister said decisions on contracts were processed through multiple agencies before reaching her, arguing that "the choice had been made" by the time files got to her desk.

According to her, operational authority in the oil sector rested primarily with the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), while the ministry exercised oversight functions....