Ruto Orders Nationwide Leaders’ Meeting Ahead of NYOTA Programme Rollout
President Ruto has directed all Principal Secretaries (PSs) to hold countywide consultative meetings with governors, MPs and MCAs before the official launch of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project.
The Head of State has said the project funded by World Bank is to address youth unemployment, low savings and income insecurity over the next 5 years. Through the programme, 70 youths from each of Kenya’s 1,450 wards will receive a Ksh50,000 grant to start a business.
In his directive, Ruto has instructed the PSs to meet the leaders by October 6, 2025 to ensure coordination at the grassroots. He has also ordered that chiefs be included in separate sessions to raise awareness about the project and align local structures for implementation.
“By involving leaders from the Executive, Legislature and county governments, the process will be transparent and inclusive so that every young person has a chance to benefit,” Ruto said.
He has said the government is adopting a “whole-of-government approach” to ensure the programme succeeds. According to Ruto, the Ksh5 billion programme will benefit 100,000 young people across the country, promote entrepreneurship, innovation and enterprise among the youth.
The latest update comes after Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya told the National Assembly’s Trade Committee in August that over 1.4 million applications had been received via the USSD code *254#. Out of these, 180,000 applicants have been shortlisted.
Oparanya said the shortlisted candidates were selected through a randomised process and are currently undergoing an online aptitude test. He said each successful youth will receive the Ksh50,000 in two installments of Ksh25,000 and Business Development Services (BDS) training and mentorship.
“Of those shortlisted, 46% are women and 26,000 are persons with disabilities,” the CS said, highlighting the inclusivity of the programme.
With over a million applications already received, the launch of NYOTA is expected to be one of the biggest youth empowerment projects in Kenya.
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Ruto Orders Nationwide Leaders’ Meeting Ahead of NYOTA Programme Rollout