Ruto: NYOTA programme to benefit 70-80 youth in every ward
By Faith Lagat, January 15, 2026President William Ruto has reaffirmed the Kenya Kwanza administration’s commitment to youth empowerment through the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Programme, saying the initiative is now reaching between 70 and 80 young people in every ward across the country.
Speaking on January 15, 2026, the President said the programme reflects the government’s bottom-up economic approach by ensuring support reaches citizens at the grassroots, regardless of education level.
“Today, the NYOTA programme benefits between 70 and 80 young people in every ward in the Republic of Kenya. This is what we meant by the bottom-up economic approach, that we go to the lowest level and every citizen benefits, without considering their education level,” Ruto said.
Nationwide rollout
The President made the remarks amid the ongoing nationwide rollout of the NYOTA Project business start-up capital disbursement, which targets vulnerable youth aged 18 to 29 years with Form Four education or below. The programme focuses on young people who are unemployed or underemployed in both urban and rural areas.
NYOTA is a five-year flagship project supported by the World Bank and implemented in partnership with several government agencies, including the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), and the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA).
The initiative aims to empower more than 100,000 youth across Kenya’s 1,450 wards, with a minimum of 70 beneficiaries per ward to ensure equitable distribution.
Current disbursement benefits Eastern counties
In the current phase, a total of Ksh147.5 million is being disbursed as business start-up capital to benefit 5,901 young entrepreneurs from Machakos, Kitui, and Makueni counties. Each successful applicant receives Ksh25,000 in the first phase to start or expand a business.
Of this amount, Ksh22,000 is deposited directly into each beneficiary’s Pochi la Biashara mobile money account to support immediate business operations, while the remaining portion is allocated to mandatory savings.
Beneficiaries are required to undergo a three-day business skills training, followed by a four-month business development programme and aptitude assessments.
Training, savings and additional support
The NYOTA Programme also incorporates financial discipline measures, including a mandatory 12 per cent saving on portions of the grant. Female beneficiaries who save an additional Ksh400 per month for four consecutive months qualify for a Ksh16,000 maternity benefit.
Beyond start-up capital, the programme includes training for up to 600,000 people on Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) and specialised experiential learning for 90,000 youth. Participants’ businesses are assessed periodically, including after two months, to track progress and ensure effective use of funds.
President Ruto said the country’s future lies in its youth, adding, “Ujuzi na talanta za vijana zitabadilisha hii nchi… Vijana wa Kenya sio mashine ya kupiga tu kura.” He also noted recent economic indicators, saying inflation had declined from 9.6 per cent to 4.5 per cent.