Murky world of western oil interests in Africa

The investigation by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office into an alleged Nigerian bribery scandal involving a Halliburton subsidiary is the latest twist in a case that exemplifies the lucrative, murky and highly political world of western oil interests in Africa.

The affair has spawned investigations in four countries and has raised big questions about both the conduct of one of the US’s most high-profile companies and the seriousness of Britain’s anti-corruption credentials.

The big political dimension of the case is that it relates in part to the period from 1995 to 2000 when Haliburton was headed by Dick Cheney, the US vice-president.
Financial Times