The government is preparing to launch a new initiative aimed at increasing the participation of Kenyan youth aged 18 to 29 in state programs.
The NYOTA Project will target approximately 810,000 vulnerable youth, including those up to 35 years old with disabilities.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen emphasized that the government is driving policy reforms to place youth at the forefront of national development.
“This initiative is specifically focused on those with a Form Four level education or lower, who find themselves at the bottom of the economic and social ladder due to limited access to government programs,” said Murkomen.
The NYOTA Project is designed to improve employability, create job opportunities, support youth savings, and bolster youth employment systems.
The project will be implemented by various government agencies, including the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), and the National Social Security Fund Board of Trustees (NSSFBT).
Kenya, one of East Africa’s largest and most dynamic economies, is currently facing a severe youth unemployment crisis.
A staggering 80% of the unemployed population is made up of young people, with an estimated 500,000 to 800,000 new job seekers entering the market annually.
This influx has overwhelmed the economy, resulting in a labor force participation rate of just 38% among youth aged 15 to 24, which poses a significant risk to the country’s social and economic stability.
Murkomen also noted that the government is expanding its efforts to boost youth employment and entrepreneurship beyond existing initiatives like the Talanta Hela Initiative, the Youth Fund, and the Annual Presidential Innovation Challenge.
“The National Youth Policy is currently under review to reflect the evolving challenges and opportunities facing young people in Kenya today,” Murkomen added.
Despite Kenya’s overall unemployment rate of 12.7%, the youth unemployment rate among those aged 15 to 34 stands at a staggering 67%.
According to Murkomen, the NYOTA Project is set to launch within the next month and aims to support 110,000 youth-led MSMEs with start-up capital and mentorship.