Eni S.p.A.

• Contradicted82
  The proposition that Eni and Shell were proven to have paid bribes to Nigerian politicians through the US$1.1 billion OPL 245 payment, as alleged by the Milan prosecutor and summarised by Global Witness in March 2021.
  Press report, 17 March 20214 records citedBribery
• Outdated64
  Global Witness said in March 2021 that two middlemen had already been found guilty for their role in the OPL 245 deal in a separate trial.
  Press report, 17 March 20212 records citedBribery
• Supported81
  Eni said on 19 July 2022 that the OPL 245 criminal case had ended and that the March 2021 acquittals of Eni and its managers were full and final.
  Company statement, 19 July 20223 records citedCorporate status
• Supported79
  Eni said in March 2021 that the allegations of international corruption in its Congo probe ceased to exist after the charge was reduced to undue inducement, and that its EUR 11.8 million deal was not an admission of guilt.
  Company statement, 18 March 20214 records citedBribery

Cases and proceedings

• Milan Public Prosecutor v Eni S.p.A., Royal Dutch Shell plc and othersTribunal of Milan. Criminal. Not published on the pages we read.Stage: Final acquittal
  • 17 March 2021 Eni, Shell and the executives acquitted^S3
  • 19 July 2022 Prosecutor-General drops appeal and acquittal becomes final^S1S2S9
• Federal Republic of Nigeria v Eni S.p.A. and ShellItalian courts (civil claims of the Federal Republic of Nigeria). Civil. Not published.Stage: Waived by Nigeria, then settled
  • 16 November 2023 Bloomberg reports a Nigerian letter waiving the claims in Italy against Eni unconditionally^S5
  • 5 March 2026 Eni says an agreement with Nigeria settles all claims related to OPL 245^S11
• Milan Public Prosecutor v Eni S.p.A.Court of Milan. Criminal. Not published.Stage: Closed by agreed sanction
  • March 2021 Judge accepts EUR 11.8 million agreed sanction on a reduced charge of undue inducement^S7
• Federal Republic of Nigeria v Royal Dutch Shell plc, Eni S.p.A. and othersHigh Court of England and Wales. Civil. Not published on the page we read.Stage: Dismissed for lack of jurisdiction
  • 22 May 2020 A London judge rules England has no jurisdiction as the claim shares the facts of the Italian criminal case. Nigeria says it will seek permission to appeal^S10
  • 5 March 2026 Eni says all OPL 245 claims between Nigeria and Eni are settled^S11

Responses on record

• Eni, 19 July 2022, on The proposition that Eni and Shell were proven to have paid bribes to Nigerian politicians...

  Eni called the case unmotivated and disconcerting and cited years of costly proceedings.^S1

• Eni, 18 March 2021, on Eni said in March 2021 that the allegations of international corruption in its Congo probe...

  Eni said the deal was not an admission of guilt.^S6

• Eni, 5 March 2026, on Eni said on 19 July 2022 that the OPL 245 criminal case had ended and that the March 2021 ...

  Eni said the agreement with Nigeria was a mutually satisfactory settlement of all OPL 245 claims.^S11

Revision history

• 25 October 2026 Profile and 4 assessments first published. Records checked to 25 October 2026.

Source records

1. S3Tier C Shell, Eni Acquitted in Massive Corruption TrialCourthouse News Service (Cain Burdeau). Press report. March 2021.Reports the Milan acquittal on a Wednesday and the September 2018 sentences of two intermediaries. The page shows no date. It does not give the court's reasons.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
2. S1Tier B Eni: unmotivated and disconcerting Nigeria judicial case endedEni S.p.A.. Company statement. 19 July 2022.Company account that the prosecutors' appeal was dropped and the acquittals became final. It is not the court order itself.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
3. S2Tier C Italy prosecutors abandon $1.3 billion Eni Nigeria graft appealThe African Mirror (Emilio Parodi, citing Reuters). Press report. 20 July 2022.Reuters-sourced report that prosecutors dropped the criminal appeal, which makes the acquittals final, and that Nigeria's civil claim continued. It does not cover the two intermediaries. It replaces an undated Energy Voice page with no headline shown.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
4. S9Tier C Italy Court acquits Eni, Shell in $1.3bn Nigeria graft caseSweetcrude Reports (citing Reuters). Press report. 19 July 2022.Reuters-attributed report that the appeal court's step finalised the acquittal of Eni and Shell and that civil proceedings would continue. No reporter is credited.
5. S5Tier C Nigeria withdraws $1 billion claim against Eni on oil field dealWorld Oil (Bloomberg, Alberto Brambilla and William Clowes). Press report. 16 November 2023.Reports a Nigerian letter waiving civil claims in Italy against Eni. It does not cover Nigeria's London claim.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
6. S11Tier B The President of Nigeria Bola Tinubu meets Eni CEO Claudio DescalziEni S.p.A.. Company statement. 5 March 2026.Company account of an agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria that settles all claims related to OPL 245 and discontinues Eni's ICSID arbitration. It does not mention Shell's claims or the London case.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
7. S7Tier C Italian judge accepts Eni request to settle Congo Republic oil probeSweetcrude Reports (Reuters, Alfredo Faieta and Stephen Jewkes). Press report. 28 March 2021.Reuters report that a judge accepted the settlement and the charge was lowered. It does not give the exact decision date.
8. S10Tier C UK dismisses Nigeria's $1 billion bribery lawsuit against Shell, EniWorld Oil (Bloomberg, Ellen Milligan). Press report. 22 May 2020.Reports that a London judge ruled England had no jurisdiction over Nigeria's claim against Shell and Eni, and that Nigeria would seek permission to appeal. It does not name the judge.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
9. S6Tier B Eni: Congo investigation, the company adheres to the hypothesis of agreed sanctions submitted by the Public ProsecutorEni S.p.A.. Company statement. 18 March 2021.Company account of the reduced charge and the EUR 11.8 million agreed sanction. It is not the court decision.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
10. S4Tier D Acquittal of Shell and Eni in corruption trial “a stain on Italy”Global Witness. Press report. 17 March 2021.Campaign group statement that restates the prosecutor's bribery allegation and cites the intermediaries' convictions. It is advocacy, not a finding.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
11. S8Tier C OPL 245: Italian court overturns Emeka Obi's four-year jail sentenceTheCable (Nigeria). Press report. Not shown on the page.Reports that an Italian appeal court overturned the jail sentences of the two intermediaries on a Thursday. The page shows no date or byline, so the date of the reversal is not confirmed.Link working, checked 25 October 2026