| Louis Nels | |
| Office: | Reichskommissar for German South West Africa |
| Term Start: | August 1890 |
| Term End: | May 1891 |
| Predecessor: | Heinrich Ernst Göring |
| Successor: | Curt von François |
| Birth Date: | 16 December 1858 |
Louis Nels (16 December 1858 - 13 November 1910) was a German government official who served as acting Reichskommissar in German South West Africa in 1890 - 1891.
Trained as a lawyer, he later joined the German civil service. Beginning in 1885 he served under acting Reichskommissar Heinrich Ernst Göring (1839 - 1913) in Otjimbingwe, the colonial headquarters of German South West Africa. In 1890 he became a colonial judge, and shortly afterwards replaced Göring as acting Reichskommissar. Nels would maintain this position from August 1890 to March 1891, when he was succeeded by Curt von François (1852 - 1931).
In 1891, he left German South West Africa, and afterwards was a consul in various foreign countries. Nels died on 13 November 1910 in Neuerburg, Germany.
In 1911, botanist Hans Schinz published Nelsia a genus of flowering plants from Africa, belonging to the family Amaranthaceae and named in Nels honour.[1]