Research hub launched to bridge skills gap
Business
By
Brian Ngugi
| Sep 24, 2025
A Princeton University-linked initiative has launched a major research hub in western Kenya designed to directly address the critical skills gap hindering economic growth across Kenya and Africa by connecting local challenges with global academic expertise.
The Princeton–African School of Economics Research (PASER) Hub, inaugurated at Tom Mboya University (TMU), aims to create a new model for development where municipalities and devolved governments use data-driven research to shape policy, train a new generation of professionals, and attract investment. The launch was done during the recent Devolution Conference 2025.
The public-private partnership (PPP) is a collaboration between the African School of Economics (ASE)—founded by Princeton Professor Leonard Wantchekon, Tom Mboya University, the Ndhiwa Municipality, and sustainable development firm DHA East Africa Ltd.
“Africa’s challenge is not a lack of talent, but a gap in applying knowledge practically,” said Professor Leonard Wantchekon in a statement following the inauguration. “This hub is an instrument for empowering communities to build their own evidence-based solutions, moving beyond aid to self-reliant development.”
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The hub’s mission tackles a central paradox of economies in Africa: despite a booming youth population and rapid economic growth in many regions, a persistent mismatch between workforce skills and market needs threatens to derail long-term progress.
The PASER model therefore seeks to turn universities into engines of practical problem-solving, ensuring graduates possess the technical, research, and entrepreneurial skills demanded by modern economies.
The skills gap in Africa is well-documented. A 2024 World Bank report estimated that while millions of young people enter the job market annually, over 60 per cent of them lack the foundational digital and analytical skills required for current employment opportunities.
This gap is particularly acute in rapidly urbanizing areas like Homa Bay County, where traditional economies are transforming.
The Ndhiwa Hub will therefore function as a bridge backers say. It will immediately engage TMU’s 15,000 students in applied research projects that address real-world problems identified by the local devolved government, such as designing digital tools for climate-smart agriculture or developing data models for SMART urban planning.
“This is the essence of devolution in action,” said Homa Bay County Secretary Professor Bernard Muok, representing Governor Gladys Wanga in a statement. “We are not waiting for solutions from the capital. We are building our own capacity to solve our problems, creating jobs and retaining our best minds right here.”
The hub’s research agenda is tightly aligned with Ndhiwa’s ambitious 30-year plan, developed with DHA East Africa, to become a Smart, Sustainable Agricultural City. Engineer Brian Stephenson, CEO of DHA East Africa Ltd., stated the project is designed to be a holistic demonstration of sustainable development.
“This addresses all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Stephenson said. “By integrating education, environment, and economic planning from the start, we create a viable blueprint.”
Local leaders endorsed the project’s potential for lasting impact. Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino
linked the hub to the legacy of local pan-Africanist leader Tom Mboya, stating it was “an idea to empower future generations.”
With the PASER Hub now operational, its backers said its success will be measured by its ability to translate local innovations into policies that create jobs and resilient growth, offering a test case for the rest of the continent.