NAIROBI, Kenya – The government has rolled out the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (Nyota) programme across all 47 counties, marking one of its most ambitious efforts yet to tackle youth unemployment through skills training and direct financial support.
President William Ruto on Monday deployed all Principal Secretaries to counties countrywide to spearhead the activation of the Nyota initiative, a partnership between the government and the World Bank.
The programme is designed to empower 820,000 young Kenyans through entrepreneurship training, business grants, and vocational support.
Each of the country’s 1,450 wards will identify 70 beneficiaries, who will receive a Ksh 50,000 grant to start small businesses.
Others joining technical or vocational training institutions will receive a monthly stipend of Ksh 6,000. Registration is fully automated via *254#.
Public Health PS Mary Muthoni, who led the launch in Kirinyaga County, said the Nyota programme is a cornerstone of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which seeks to lift vulnerable groups out of poverty through enterprise.
“This programme is about opportunity, not handouts,” Muthoni said. “We will ensure transparency and fairness so that every deserving young person benefits.”
Across the country, PSs fanned out to local launch events — from Nyeri and Murang’a to Isiolo, Kisumu, and Embu — signaling a coordinated national rollout.
In Uasin Gishu, PS for SMEs Susan Mang’eni said the initiative gives young people a “clean slate” to build financial credibility, noting that past loan defaults, including from the Hustler Fund, will not disqualify applicants.
“Nyota is a grant, not a loan. It is a second chance for youth who want to start afresh,” she said.
In Kisumu, PS for Children Services Carren Ang’eng’o urged more women and persons with disabilities to apply, citing low registration among these groups.
In Nyeri, Energy PS Alex Kamau explained that Nyota specifically targets unskilled youth aged 18 to 29 — including those without Form Four certificates — and persons with disabilities up to age 35.
“We’re focusing on those often left behind by formal systems — the self-taught artisans, Jua Kali workers, and informal apprentices,” Kamau said.
The rollout in Isiolo, led by Petroleum PS Mohamed Liban, will see the first batch of beneficiaries enrolled in coming weeks.
Liban described the project as a tool to “turn potential into productivity” by combining business support with mentorship.
In Embu, TVET PS Esther Mworia said over 1,400 young people will benefit in the first phase, emphasizing the programme’s goal of building an entrepreneurial culture at the grassroots.
“We are empowering youth to think differently about work — to create jobs, not just seek them,” Mworia said.
Sports PS Elijah Mwangi, speaking during the Murang’a launch, urged eligible youth to register within the open window period, saying the Nyota initiative “is about turning ideas into income.”
The nationwide activation of Nyota marks the government’s most extensive youth-focused mobilisation since the Hustler Fund, combining access to capital, skills training, and digital enrollment.
Officials say the programme is expected to help thousands of jobless youth transition into self-employment and formal business ventures.
“We are activating Nyota in every ward because every young Kenyan deserves a fair shot at success,” Mwangi said.
