Government Warns Youth Against Fake NYOTA Grant Apps Ahead of Second Cohort
The government has issued a fresh warning to Kenyan youth as the second cohort of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme prepares to receive grants.
In a notice shared Wednesday through official channels, NYOTA cautioned against online apps that falsely claim to be part of the programme and require users to pay a registration fee to access the Ksh50,000 grant.
“NYOTA PROJECT has no fund app. The information being circulated about the fund app is fake. We urge the youth to stay alert,” the notice read. NYOTA said all official communications are issued only through its verified social media accounts.
Youth interested in the programme are advised to visit a NYOTA office, their nearest sub-county youth office, or dial *254# to access verified information.
The NYOTA programme, a collaboration between the Kenyan government and the World Bank, aims to empower youth by tackling unemployment, income insecurity, and limited savings. Since its launch, hundreds of thousands of young entrepreneurs have applied for the grants. Each selected participant across 1,450 wards receives Ksh50,000 to start business ventures.
President William Ruto announced Tuesday that a further Ksh4.4 billion will be disbursed to grantees from next week, with training scheduled to begin Friday. He highlighted that Nairobi will receive a significant share, supporting 6,000 enterprises with Ksh300 million to help small businesses scale.
The programme prioritizes vulnerable youth, including those with lower education levels, unemployed youth, and persons with disabilities. NYOTA officials noted that scammers have repeatedly targeted applicants since the programme’s approval in July, including the recent fraudulent app schemes.
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Government Warns Youth Against Fake NYOTA Grant Apps Ahead of Second Cohort