National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement Business Support Programme Phase 2, Disburses Sh250m

President William Ruto on Thursday, January 9, launched the second phase of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) business support programme, disbursing Sh250 million to 9,500 young entrepreneurs across six North Rift counties. Speaking during the launch at the Eldoret Sports Club, the President said the programme is a key pillar of the government’s strategy to empower young people economically and stimulate grassroots enterprise growth. Beneficiaries drawn from Turkana, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Nandi, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties received the funds directly through their mobile phones. Under the NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital component, each beneficiary received an initial Sh22,000 out of the total Sh50,000 allocation, deposited into their NYOTA mobile wallets. An additional Sh3,000 was remitted to their savings accounts at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), underscoring the programme’s emphasis on savings and financial discipline. The President noted that NYOTA is a flagship youth empowerment initiative jointly funded by the government and the World Bank, with an overall budget of Sh5 billion. The programme targets 100,000 young people countrywide, with at least 70 beneficiaries selected from each of Kenya’s 1,450 wards. “This programme involves a high level of accountability and transparency because it is about an individual’s effort to initiate a project that can transform their life,” President Ruto said, urging beneficiaries to use the funds strictly for the intended business purposes. Beyond start-up capital, the President explained that NYOTA has three additional components aimed at equipping youth with skills and market access.