Govt Urges Youth to Register for NYOTA Project As Deadline Looms

Sh50,000 to be disbursed to 70 beneficiaries per ward across the country.

Application Period: 6th – 12th October 2025

Validation and Sensitisation of Applicants: 17th October 2025

National Launch: 29th October 2025

MAMA GRACE HALL, Kisumu, October 6th, In a bid to bolster inclusive empowerment, the government has launched a national registration drive for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Programme, a five-year initiative with the World Bank, aimed at tackling youth unemployment.

Following a directive from President William Ruto, the project seeks to provide youth with job experience, entrepreneurship skills, and savings habits to enhance self-reliance.

It targets over 800,000 unemployed or underemployed youth aged 18–29, and up to 35 years for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) who have a maximum education level of Form 4.

At a sensitisation meeting in Kisumu, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Children Services,(PS)Carren Ageng’o, announced that the business initiative aims to support 70 individuals per ward.

The selected participants will receive Sh50,000 from the government after completing a training program tailored to their business ideas.

PS Ageng’o noted that 5 percent of applicants will be reserved for PWDs and advised those who have already applied against reapplying, as the system will detect duplicate entries.

“After registration closes, a physical validation exercise will take place on October 17 to confirm applicants’ presence and conduct entrepreneurship aptitude tests.”

The training will focus on financial literacy and digital skills, enabling the youth to access government procurement tenders and entrepreneurial funds.

Furthermore, the NYOTA project will collaborate with the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), National Employment Authority (NEA) and the State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy (SDYCE) to provide short-term training for skilled individuals lacking formal education.

Beneficiaries will also receive a monthly stipend of Sh6,000 for six months during practical training in sectors like affordable housing and road construction.

“As you learn, you’ll be getting Sh6,000, and part of that you should save,” emphasised Ageng’o, highlighting the importance of savings for future security.

Registration for NYOTA is free and conducted digitally via USSD code *254#, with applicants required to use their personal mobile numbers for verification.

Although the initial registration phase launched in March this year, uptake has been uneven across wards, with some failing to meet the target of 70 applicants. The programme has also struggled to achieve a gender balance and adequate inclusivity for PWDs thus the creation of a 50-50 gender parity (women and men).

“I urge chiefs, local administrators, and community leaders to mobilise more young women and people with disabilities to register,” Ageng’o stated.

To address these gaps, the registration portal has reopened for one week, closing at midnight on October 12. “We want every ward to have equal representation, and no youth should be left behind,” she added.

The event was attended by Nyanza Regional Commissioner Flora Mworoa, Kisumu CECMs Beatrice Odongo (Sports and Youth Affairs) and Farida Salim (Tourism and Marketing), among other local leaders, who urged the Kisumu youth to seize this opportunity for financial independence and skill development.

NYOTA’s key partners also include the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Authority (MSEA) and the State Department for Labour (SDL)