The government has launched the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (Nyota) programme in all 47 counties.
President William Ruto on Monday dispatched all Principal Secretaries (PSs) to counties to oversee the rollout of the Nyota programme, a large-scale youth empowerment initiative aimed at reducing unemployment through entrepreneurship, training, and financial inclusion.
The programme is expected to benefit 820,000 young people across the country, marking one of the most ambitious youth development efforts in Kenya’s history.
Each of the 1,450 wards will identify 70 young beneficiaries, who will receive KSh 50,000 to establish small businesses. Those joining technical or vocational training institutions will receive KSh 6,000 monthly stipends to support their studies.
Leading the launch in Kirinyaga County, Public Health PS Mary Muthoni said the Nyota initiative is a key pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which aims to empower low-income groups through enterprise.
“This programme is about opportunity, not handouts,” Muthoni said. “We will ensure transparency and fairness so that every deserving young person benefits.”
Across the country, PSs simultaneously launched the initiative from Nyeri, Murang’a, and Embu to Kisumu, Isiolo, and Uasin Gishu in what government officials described as a unified national mobilisation.
In Uasin Gishu, PS for SMEs Susan Mang’eni clarified that the Nyota funds are grants, not loans, adding that past defaults, such as from the Hustler Fund, would not disqualify applicants.
“Nyota is a grant, not a loan. It is a second chance for youth who want to start afresh,” she said.
In Kisumu, PS for Children Services Carren Ang’eng’o encouraged women and persons with disabilities to apply, noting low registration among these groups.
In Nyeri, Energy PS Alex Kamau emphasised that the programme targets unskilled youth aged 18–29, including those without formal education, and persons with disabilities up to age 35.
“We’re focusing on those often left behind, the self-taught artisans, Jua Kali workers, and informal apprentices,” Kamau said.
Petroleum PS Mohamed Liban, who led the rollout in Isiolo, said the first batch of beneficiaries would be enrolled in the coming weeks.
“This project is about turning potential into productivity by combining business support with mentorship,” he said.
In Embu, TVET PS Esther Mworia said over 1,400 youth will benefit in the first phase, adding that the goal is to nurture an entrepreneurial culture at the grassroots.
“We are empowering youth to think differently about work to create jobs, not just seek them,” she said.
Sports PS Elijah Mwangi, during the Murang’a launch, urged young people to register early, calling the initiative a bridge between ideas and income.
“We are activating Nyota in every ward because every young Kenyan deserves a fair shot at success,” Mwangi said.
The Nyota programme now stands as Kenya’s largest coordinated youth empowerment initiative since the Hustler Fund, combining skills training, grants, and digital enrollment to help jobless youth transition into self-employment and sustainable enterprises.
