Energy and infrastructure leader Leslie Nelson, drawing on more than 25 years of experience across finance and power projects in Africa, has identified five common myths that continue to mislead individuals, businesses, and communities about the continent's energy future. Nelson, who held senior executive roles at GE Angola, GE Ghana, GE Africa, and New Fortress Energy, asserts these misconceptions slow progress and distract from practical solutions that already work. "When the lights go out multiple times per day, theory doesn't matter," Nelson said. "What matters is what actually keeps power on."
The first myth Nelson addresses is the belief that Africa lacks energy resources. While power shortages are common, the reality is that Africa possesses vast solar, wind, hydropower, and natural gas reserves. The core issue is access and infrastructure, not supply. Sub-Saharan Africa receives some of the highest solar irradiation in the world. Nelson notes Africa is "long on natural gas and short on power," suggesting Gas to Power initiatives could help close the infrastructure gap. The problem, according to Nelson, "isn't potential. It's turning potential into working systems."
The second misconception is that reliable power must be expensive, often stemming from reliance on diesel generators. Nelson counters that generators can cost 2–3 times more per unit of energy than grid or solar power, and replacing diesel with solar or gas can cut costs by 40% or more. The third myth is that big national grids are the only solution. While large grids are often seen as the "proper" solution, mini-grids and off-grid systems already power millions and are faster to deploy and cheaper for rural areas. "It's not about building the biggest thing," Nelson notes. "It's about building the thing that works. Connecting these mini grids will be the secret sauce to success."
Nelson identifies the fourth myth as the belief that energy problems are mainly technical, focusing on equipment and engineering. He emphasizes that human factors matter just as much, with training, maintenance, billing systems, and local buy-in determining a project's success. "I've seen good projects fail because no one was trained to develop them, finance them and run them," Nelson said. "People matter as much as machines." The fifth and final myth is that individuals can't make a difference, with energy often perceived as solely a government or corporate issue. Nelson argues individual actions add up, and education, awareness, and small choices influence adoption and policy.
The implications of these myths are significant, given that over 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa still live without electricity, and unreliable power costs businesses an estimated $28 billion each year, according to the World Bank. Nelson highlights that the "lack of qualified Project Developers and early stage project financing continues to be a hindrance to progress." He urges a shift toward practical, localized solutions, stating Africa's energy challenge is "not a lack of ideas or resources. It's about choosing practical solutions that fit local needs and acting on them now." For more information on global energy access challenges, visit https://www.worldbank.org.
