Natascha Wagner

Natascha Wagner is professor of International Economics at the Nijmegen School of Management of Radboud University (Netherlands). She is the director of the Global Data Lab, which develops databases and instruments for monitoring and analyzing the status and progress of societies. In its current version the database contains 133 indicators for 131 countries and 1483 sub-national regions. Importantly, the Global Data Lab provides the Subnational Human Development Index that uncovers human development in 1600 regions within 160 countries. Her research interests lie in international economics, development, health and education. She has participated in various impact evaluation projects in Africa and Asia ranging from public health, HIV testing and counseling to support for people living with HIV as well good governance, police integrity and rural infrastructure programs. Natascha applies experimental as well as quasi-experimental impact evaluation techniques to assess program effectiveness. She has been the lead principal investigator of a large scale randomized controlled trial on the impact of information and communication technology in promoting retention and adherence to antiretroviral treatment in Burkina Faso. She has published articles in, among others, Health Economics, Economics of Education Review, Journal of Development Studies and World Development.

Recent publications

Wildeman, J., Morsink, K. & Wagner, N. (2025). The effect of mobile internet on child marriage and teen pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa. GDL Working paper 25-101.

Magbonde, K., Thiam , D. & Wagner, N. (2024). The economic impacts of rural water supply infrastructures in developing countries: Empirical evidence from Senegal. Environmental and Resource Economics, 87, 2571-2628, doi:10.1007/s10640-024-00897-4.

Ebbers, A., Bergner, E. & Wagner, N. (2024). The effect of parental migration on children left behind: meta-analytical evidence on education and child labour. GDL Working paper 24-101.

Pacheco Miranda, J. & Wagner, N. (2023). Long-term impacts of an early childhood shock on human capital: Evidence from the 1999 economic crisis in Ecuador. Health Economics, 32(11), 2460-2476, doi:10.1002/hec.4742.

Ongudi, S., Thiam , D. & Wagner, N. (2023). Public Transfers and Crowding-In and -Out of Private Transfers: Experimental Evidence from Kenya. World Development Perspectives, 31, doi:10.1016/j.wdp.2023.100524.. 100524.