By Aoma Keziah,
The government has announced the nationwide rollout of business training under the NYOTA Project, a key initiative aimed at equipping thousands of young Kenyans with the skills and seed capital needed to start and sustain small enterprises.
In a press briefing on Thursday, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Susan Mang’eni, said the next phase will reach 25 counties starting tomorrow, November 14. The sessions will run for four days, targeting over 63,000 beneficiaries across 754 wards.
The NYOTA Project, officially launched on November 7 at the Mumias Sports Complex in Kakamega County, marks a major step in empowering vulnerable youth across the country. During the launch, over 12,000 beneficiaries from the Western cluster — covering Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia received startup capital totalling KSh 303.8 million. Each participant accessed KSh 22,000 through their NYOTA Pochi la Biashara accounts, with a small portion dedicated to a structured savings plan.
According to the PS, the savings model has been designed to encourage financial discipline and resilience among the participants.
“We want these young entrepreneurs to learn how to build a safety net for their businesses. The savings component is also a gateway to future credit from formal financial institutions,” she said.
Beneficiaries from the Western region have now entered a two-month mentorship period, supported by Business Development Service providers, before undergoing a second round of classroom training. Upon completion, they will receive their final tranche of capital and continue receiving guidance to help integrate them into the broader business ecosystem.
The rollout beginning Friday 14th will cover counties including Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Turkana, Baringo, Laikipia, Meru, Embu, Nakuru, Narok, Kajiado, Siaya, Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Kericho and Bomet, among others. The training will be conducted at constituency level, with 222 training centres mapped out nationwide.
“The beneficiaries have already received invitations indicating their training venues. Those who attend at least three out of four days will qualify for the startup support. The disbursement of funds will follow soon after the completion of training,” Mang’eni explained,
The PS also confirmed that preparations for the refugee component of the programme are ongoing, with intakes for Kakuma and Dadaab camps set to be completed shortly. Each camp will host training sessions benefiting 5,000 refugees and an additional 5,000 members of nearby host communities.
In total, the NYOTA Project seeks to reach over 100,000 youth across all 1,450 wards in Kenya, with at least 70 beneficiaries per ward. The final phase will target 18 counties including Nairobi, Kiambu, Nyeri, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River, Wajir, Mandera and Garissa, which will be scheduled at a later date.
“The rollout is on course, and we are committed to ensuring every beneficiary receives the training, mentorship, and capital they need to build sustainable livelihoods,” Mang’eni concluded.