Prof Akpodiete

By Grandball Choice, Abuja

LAGOS JUNE 29TH (URHOBOTODAY)-In a landmark five-day training programme that concluded last week in Muscat, Oman, Nigerian-born Cybersecurity, AI, and strategic planning specialist, Prof. Alex O. Akpodiete has positioned himself at the forefront of energy-sector consulting in the Gulf.

Tasked by NAMA Power & Water Procurement Company to deliver an intensive “Strategic Planning Techniques & Forecasting Modelling” course, Prof. Akpodiete guided nine senior procurement and planning professionals through a suite of cutting-edge analytical tools, generative-AI applications, and hands-on modeling exercises designed to shape Oman’s energy future—and set a new benchmark for utility training worldwide.

Prof Akpodiete (left) and one of his trainee

Day 1: From SWOT to Actionable TOWS
The workshop began with a rigorous strategic analysis module. Participants conducted SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) and PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental) analyses of Oman’s water and power landscape. Under Prof. Akpodiete’s facilitation, they then translated high-level insights into a TOWS matrix, crafting four concrete strategies: leveraging Oman’s robust gas reserves for flexible power generation, mitigating import dependency risks, capitalizing on renewable energy incentives, and countering climate-driven water shortages.

“Prof. Akpodiete challenged us to move beyond theory,” said one of the Senior Planning Engineers (name withheld for privacy). “By day’s end, we’d committed to actionable initiatives aligned with Oman Vision 2040—an extraordinary jump start to strategic thinking.”

Day 2: Data Mastery & Descriptive Analytics
On the second day, the focus shifted to data quality and exploratory analysis. Trainees learned best practices for cleaning and validating time-series data in Excel, including filling gaps via Moving Averages, smoothing volatility with Exponential Smoothing techniques, and constructing What-If scenario tables to assess tariff and demand growth sensitivities. Using Oman’s 2015–2023 load and water-demand records, teams generated interactive histograms, box plots, and trend lines—laying the descriptive groundwork for robust forecasting.

Day 3: AI-Powered Forecasting Tools
Midweek ushered in advanced modelling with AI and machine-learning tools. Prof. Akpodiete guided participants through the implementation of Facebook Prophet and ARIMA, and reviewed PLEXOS simulations for integrated power, water, and gas dispatch. Each team compared model accuracy, interpretability, and computational cost—ultimately evaluating which approach best matched NAMA’s data volume and in-house skills.

“Seeing ChatGPT and Gemini generate scenario narratives in seconds was mind-blowing,” said another Engineer. “We even used Copilot to auto-generate DAX measures for Power BI—cutting hours of work down to minutes.”

Day 4: Optimization & Interactive Dashboards
On day four, trainee teams tackled capacity mix optimisation using Excel Solver. Charged with minimizing combined costs and carbon emissions, they established objective functions and constraints, balancing gas, solar, and wind capacities to meet both forecasted peaks and averages. The final afternoon was devoted to Power BI dashboarding, where we built interactive reports with slicers for MIS vs. DPS forecasts, low, expected, and high scenario toggles, and KPI cards to visualize year-on-year demand trajectories.

Day 5: Capstone “Issue 20” Challenge
The culmination was a high-pressure capstone. In 60 minutes, the three teams designed a “7-Year Statement Issue 20 (2026–2032)”:

• Monte Carlo Simulation: 1,000 runs per team, using calibrated noise (mean growth and standard deviation drawn from historical 2015–2023 data) to forecast average and peak demand for both MIS and DPS.
• Generative AI & DAX: Leveraged ChatGPT for narrative summaries and Copilot-assisted DAX generation.
• Solver & Strategy: Optimized capacity mixes under net-zero-by-2030 and Oman Vision 2040 renewable targets.
• RACI & Tool Evaluation: Mapped roles/responsibilities and weighed PLEXOS vs TIMES vs in-house Excel/Python models.

Each team’s pitch was delivered in a single PowerPoint slide—complete with a SWOT/PESTLE?TOWS matrix, scenario tables, Power BI snapshots, and a one-sentence planning mission. The dynamic presentations underscored the participants’ mastery of integrated strategic forecasting.

Positioning a Nigerian Authority on the Global Stage
Prof. Akpodiete, CEO & CAIO of Global AI and founder of Atawa Technologies & Training Institute, drew on more than three decades of experience in AI ethics, cybersecurity, and digital forensics education. As a holder of a UAE Golden Visa, he has previously led bespoke courses for clients in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

“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 enthusiasm and rapid progress from the trainees exceeded all expectations. I was impressed and even learnt from participants. I loved the country and the hospital, and I hope to return.”

Implications for Nigeria’s Energy Sector
Nigeria, grappling with legacy grid constraints, tariff reforms, and ambitious renewable energy goals, stands to benefit immensely from a similar program. By harnessing AI-enhanced forecasting, Solver-powered optimisation, and interactive BI dashboards—as demonstrated in Muscat—Nigerian utilities could refine 10-year master plans, de-risk investments in solar and gas, and transparently demonstrate alignment with the country’s Decade of Gas and Energy Transition frameworks.

Looking Ahead: Expanding the Impact
NAMA’s leadership has already signaled interest in advanced training, while Prof. Akpodiete is examining the possibility of scaling the training to other Gulf utilities. Meanwhile, Prof. Akpodiete is in discussions with several ministries from the Middle East and Africa to replicate the curriculum. In Abuja, energy-sector stakeholders are closely monitoring the situation: “This is exactly the capacity development Nigeria needs,” said a government spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We’re eager to explore a partnership to bring these best practices home.”

Conclusion
As Oman advances toward Vision 2040 and net-zero emissions, Prof. Akpodiete’s workshop serves as a blueprint for smart, sustainable utility planning—an approach that Nigeria’s policymakers and operators would do well to adopt. The success of this Gulf-based pilot not only cements his reputation as a global authority but also offers a timely opportunity for Nigerian agencies to leverage world-class training in strategic forecasting, AI integration, and capacity optimisation.

For enquiries about tailored workshops, contact alex@globalai.world or alex.akpodiete@atawagroup.com

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