President William Ruto on Monday presided over the disbursement of Ksh.258.4 million under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) business support programme at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, aimed at boosing youth entrepreneurship.
The funding targets 10,337 young entrepreneurs drawn from Nairobi, Kiambu and Kajiado counties. Each beneficiary will receive Ksh.25,000 in start-up capital to either launch new ventures or scale up existing small businesses.
Under the funding model, the government will deposit Ksh.22,000 directly into each beneficiary’s Pochi la Biashara account, while the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) will retain Ksh.3,000 in a Haba na Haba Savings Account to promote a savings culture among the youth.
While addressing the beneficiaries, President Ruto said the government is expanding opportunities for young Kenyans by opening up access to digital jobs and income-generating platforms. He urged the youth to take advantage of government-backed initiatives designed to improve their livelihoods and economic independence.
“Young people of Kenya, you have an opportunity to work on our digital work ecosystem without having to know anybody. You can assign yourself and work through the internet,” he said.
“It is not just this space we are creating with NYOTA. We have opportunities on other platforms, housing, ICT, labour. We are not just giving you money, we are also going to train you, mentor you and walk with you.”
NYOTA is a five-year partnership between the Kenyan government and the World Bank, and it ranks among the country’s flagship youth empowerment programmes. The initiative carries a total budget of Ksh.5 billion and focuses on equipping young people with capital, skills and long-term support.
Beneficiaries must use the grants strictly in line with the business plans they developed during the programme’s training phase. The government will also provide continuous technical support to ensure sustainability and growth of the funded enterprises.
In the second phase of the NYOTA project, each beneficiary will receive an additional Ksh.25,000, bringing the total funding per young entrepreneur to Ksh.50,000.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki lauded the programme, describing it as a practical intervention aimed at uplifting youth who are entering entrepreneurship. He said NYOTA is already changing lives and pledged his support for President Ruto’s broader youth-focused development agenda.
“NYOTA is promoting inclusivity in helping our youth because it doesn’t consider only those who have skills or have gone to school,” Kindiki said.
“Today, 70 young people from every ward in Kiambu, Nairobi and Kajiado will leave here with financial support from the NYOTA program. This is not the only youth-empowerment program we are having under the President’s leadership.”
The government is expected to announce the disbursement schedule for the third phase of the NYOTA programme in due course. The next rollout will cover 16 counties, including Kilifi, Lamu, Tana River, Mombasa, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Nyamira, Kisii, Marsabit, Garissa, Mandera and Wajir.
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