Nigerian Professor Leads Strategic AI Workshop for Oman’s Power Sector

In a major international milestone for Nigeria’s academic and consulting community, renowned cybersecurity and AI expert Prof. Alex O. Akpodiete has successfully led a transformative five-day training programme in Muscat, Oman, designed to modernize strategic forecasting and planning in the country’s energy sector.

Commissioned by the NAMA Power and Water Procurement Company, the workshop brought together nine senior procurement and planning professionals to master a comprehensive suite of analytical tools—ranging from classic SWOT/PESTLE frameworks to cutting-edge generative AI applications and advanced modelling platforms like Facebook Prophet, ARIMA, and PLEXOS.

Titled “Strategic Planning Techniques and Forecasting Modelling”, the workshop aimed to align Oman’s power and water strategies with its Vision 2040 and net-zero-by-2030 goals.

Through a mix of hands-on exercises and real-world case studies, participants were guided through data cleaning, exploratory analysis, scenario modelling, optimization, and dashboarding—culminating in a high-pressure capstone project simulating Oman’s future 7-year energy outlook.

“Prof. Akpodiete challenged us to move beyond theory,” said one of the participants. “By day’s end, we’d committed to actionable initiatives aligned with Oman Vision 2040—an extraordinary jump‐start to strategic thinking.”

Participants explored Excel-based time-series modelling, Solver-powered capacity mix optimization, and Power BI dashboard creation.

They used Monte Carlo simulations for peak-demand forecasting and ChatGPT and Gemini to rapidly generate scenario narratives.

Copilot also played a critical role in automating DAX formula generation—cutting data processing time from hours to minutes.

The final session saw participants pitch 7-year planning strategies using a single PowerPoint slide, integrating SWOT-PESTLE→TOWS insights, load forecasting simulations, renewable-energy scenario tables, and KPIs for tracking year-on-year demand—all in line with Oman’s long-term sustainability targets.

Prof. Akpodiete, who holds a UAE Golden Visa and is the CEO and CAIO of Global AI and founder of the Atawa Technologies and Training Institute, drew from decades of global experience in AI, cybersecurity, and digital forensics.

His previous clients span the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and now Oman.

“Our goal was to equip NAMA staff with end-to-end capabilities—from data cleaning to AI-driven scenario planning and sustainability alignment,” Prof. Akpodiete explained.

“The progress trainees made was outstanding. I even learned from them.”

With Nigeria’s energy sector grappling with challenges around grid stability, tariff reform, and renewable integration, stakeholders in Abuja are reportedly eyeing the programme for potential replication.

“This is exactly the kind of capacity development Nigeria needs,” said a senior government official. “We’re eager to explore a partnership to bring these best practices home.”

Experts suggest that the methodologies taught in Oman could help Nigeria strengthen its Decade of Gas initiative and Energy Transition Plan, enabling more precise 10-year masterplans, better investment risk analysis, and improved transparency through AI-powered dashboards.

Following the resounding success in Muscat, NAMA is considering more advanced modules, while Prof. Akpodiete is in discussions with ministries across the Middle East and Africa to replicate the training.

His work is being hailed as a blueprint for smart, sustainable utility planning—positioning a Nigerian expert at the forefront of global energy strategy and innovation.

As Oman accelerates toward net-zero, Prof. Akpodiete’s training signals more than just a Gulf success story—it opens a vital door for Africa’s power and water sectors to leapfrog into the future through AI, analytics, and strategic foresight.