Nationwide interviews to select 100,000 young entrepreneurs for Ksh50,000 business grants under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme officially began across all sub-counties on October 13, 2025, President William Ruto announced.

The Ksh5 billion initiative, supported by the World Bank, aims to empower 70 youth from each of Kenya’s 1,450 wards, fostering innovation and job creation.

“Today, interviews to select 100,000 young entrepreneurs who will each benefit from a Ksh 50,000 business grant from the NYOTA program have officially begun across all sub-counties,” said Nairobi MP Esther Passaris, quoting President Ruto. The initiative targets unemployed youth aged 18-29, and up to 35 for persons with disabilities, offering skills training, mentorship, and grants to support business ventures.

This comes after President Ruto made the remarks at the inauguration of the Nairobi Archdiocese of the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Kenya at the Kasarani Gymnasium in Nairobi on Sunday.

“Tomorrow in every sub-county in Kenya, we will begin identifying 100,000 young people because we want to use their energy, talent and expertise to transform our nation,” the President said.

Programme pollout

The five-year NYOTA programme has already seen over 46,000 youth complete aptitude tests, progressing through business training and enrolment in the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). Beneficiaries receive part of the grant upfront, with the remainder disbursed after demonstrating prudent use, coupled with government spot checks to ensure accountability.

County Director of Youth Alex Oyuga highlighted that mentorship attachments and a monthly stipend of KSh 7,000 are being provided for 1,160 youth under the On-Job Experience component in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Selection is managed by National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) to identify youth most likely to benefit from the programme.

Oversight and sustainability

Former Roots Party running mate Justina Wamae raised concerns over potential misuse of the grants, urging proper scrutiny and the signing of Portfolio Guarantee agreements with local banks. She cautioned, “NYOTA grants will land in KEG joints if the beneficiaries will be issued without proper scrutiny. Wish they signed a Portfolio Guarantee agreement with local banks.”

Other MPs, including James Gakuya and Timothy Kipchumba, questioned the programme’s long-term sustainability, noting the World Bank loan repayments. Gakuya stated, “The KSh 50,000 given to the youth under the NYOTA Programme is free, but ultimately, taxpayers will repay the money to the World Bank.”

Kipchumba called for action against rogue employment agencies, while Andrew Kemboi from the National Employment Authority highlighted over 300,000 job opportunities accessible via the authority’s platform.

The House Committee on Youth, led by Alice Ng’ang’a, emphasised ongoing efforts to bridge gaps in the programme through advocacy, budgetary support, and county-private sector partnerships, aiming to address high demand and procurement delays while ensuring meaningful youth absorption into entrepreneurial activities.