The National Assembly Committee on Social Protection has committed to spearheading youth empowerment after receiving an appraisal of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project on Friday, October 3, 2025.

The particular flagship initiative is designed to boost youth employability, entrepreneurship, and long-term financial resilience. The House Committee, led by Thika Town Member of Parliament Alice Ng’ang’a, affirmed its commitment to ensuring that young people are not only trained but meaningfully absorbed into the economy through coordinated government support, strategic partnerships, and increased budget prioritisation.

NYOTA is a five-year programme backed by the government and the World Bank, targeting over 820,000 young people with pathways to skills development, savings culture and dignified work. Already, more than 46,000 applicants have completed the Entrepreneurship Aptitude Test nationwide, with thousands progressing to Business Development Services training and auto-enrolment into NSSF’s Haba Haba scheme.

However, committee members acknowledged persistent challenges, including high demand versus available resources, documentation barriers in marginalised regions and procurement delays. To bridge these gaps, the Committee pledged to champion stronger parliamentary advocacy, increased budget allocation and enhanced awareness campaigns across constituencies. Collaboration with counties, private sector players and digital engagement platforms will be key to accelerating implementation.

NYOTA project roll-out

Speaking during the session, members emphasised that youth empowerment must go beyond training to guaranteed pathways of absorption. They lauded NYOTA as a transformational social protection investment and reaffirmed their resolve to support its rollout through oversight, legislation and resource mobilisation.

“With sustained commitment, we as a committee believe Kenya’s youth can and will be positioned as true drivers of economic resilience and inclusive growth,” Alice Ng’ang’a stated in her closing remarks.

Meanwhile, speaking during the roll-out of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project at the State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, President William Ruto asked Principal Secretaries to prepare for the nationwide implementation of the multi-billion shilling initiative to curb joblessness among the youth at the grassroots.

”We are committed to investing in our young people by driving policies and programmes that expand opportunities in both employment and business. In partnership with the World Bank, we are rolling out the Ksh5 billion National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project, a flagship initiative that will support 100,000 youth nationwide, with 70 beneficiaries identified from each of the country’s 1,450 wards,” Ruto announced.