President William Ruto has unveiled a major youth empowerment drive targeting one million young Kenyans under the newly launched National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) program.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on Monday, October 6, 2025, Ruto announced that the government, in partnership with the World Bank, has raised Ksh5 billion to finance youth-led enterprises across the country.
“We have raised Ksh5 billion together with the World Bank to give 100,000 youth in Kenya money to scale up their businesses,” said President Ruto, emphasizing that the initiative is part of his administration’s broader plan to tackle unemployment and stimulate grassroots entrepreneurship.
The President said a national mapping exercise to identify eligible beneficiaries is now underway and will conclude by the end of October, after which funds will start being disbursed.
Under the program, 70 youth aged between 18 and 29 will be selected from each of Kenya’s 1,450 wards, with each successful applicant receiving a Ksh50,000 grant to kickstart or expand their businesses.
Ruto said the NYOTA initiative will not only fund enterprises but also equip young people with practical skills and access to opportunities.
The program aims to:
- Support 100,000 young entrepreneurs through direct funding.
- Train 90,000 youth to gain job experience.
- Certify 20,000 through recognition of prior learning.
- Train 600,000 youth on Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO).
Ruto said the program’s implementation will involve collaboration between the executive, legislature, and county governments to ensure transparency and inclusivity.
“This is about being deliberate on employment, empowerment, and engagement with young people,” Ruto said.
The NYOTA initiative is part of the government’s broader vision to boost self-employment and innovation among Kenya’s youth — a demographic that remains the backbone of the nation’s economy but continues to face high joblessness rates.
