• President William Ruto launched the disbursement of over Sh245 million in Nyota Business Start-Up Capital at the ASK Showground in Nakuru, benefiting nearly 10,000 youth from Nakuru, Baringo, Narok, Bomet and Kericho counties. The grant-based programme aims to boost youth entrepreneurship through training, funding and mentorship as part of a nationwide agenda targeting all 47 counties.

Nakuru County Governor Susan Kihika has welcomed the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Programme initiative, pledging county-level support to ensure beneficiaries thrive. She has announced that Nakuru has established a Sh100 million Wezesha Fund to provide low-interest credit to entrepreneurs, complementing NYOTA's grants.

“So far, Sh19.2 million has been disbursed to 98 groups, with an additional Sh9.1 million set to be released soon,” she said.

Kihika has added that Sh47 million has already been loaned to SACCOs through the County Cooperative Development Revolving Fund, while a Sh30 million Boda Boda Fund is in its final stages.

Nakuru County Governor Susan Kihika. (Photo credit: Susan Kihika/X)

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To strengthen skills, Nakuru has expanded Vocational Training Centres from 33 to 41, offering Sh30,000 per learner in capitation. “I encourage NYOTA beneficiaries to enroll in our VTCs to acquire additional skills and knowledge to scale up their businesses. Importantly, we will waive licence fees for all NYOTA beneficiaries from Nakuru County for their first year of operation,” she noted.

Nakuru took center stage in Kenya’s youth empowerment drive as President William Ruto presided over the disbursement of Nyota Business Start-Up Capital at the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Showground on January 9, 2026. Hundreds of young people from Nakuru and neighboring counties received grants to start or expand businesses, marking a milestone in the government’s flagship NYOTA programme.

It targets young people with various skills, knowledge and talents and even those who have not had a chance to go to school due to various reasons.

The NYOTA programme, structured as phased grants rather than loans, seeks to tackle youth unemployment and financial exclusion by combining capital with training and mentorship.

This means beneficiaries are not required to repay the funds. Each selected youth is eligible to receive up to KSh 50,000, released in phases to encourage accountability and business discipline.

Beneficiaries undergo three days of business skills training before receiving funds, followed by two months of mentorship to stabilize their ventures. In Nakuru, 9,847 applicants received Sh22,000 via “Pochi la Biashara” mobile wallets, plus Sh3,000 in Haba na Haba savings accounts managed by NSSF, introducing them to formal savings.

President Ruto framed NYOTA as a practical response to unemployment. “Our young people are talented, innovative and ready to work. What they have lacked is opportunity, access to capital, skills and markets. NYOTA is about opening those doors and ensuring no youth is left behind,” he said.

The NYOTA programme falls under the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSME Development, which has positioned it as a long-term investment in entrepreneurship, productivity and inclusive growth.

According to the ministry, NYOTA aims to help young people start feasible businesses, formalise existing hustles and upgrade into the broader MSME ecosystem. The programme also seeks to inspire a savings culture, improve financial literacy and link youth to markets, cooperatives and government procurement opportunities.

Ministry officials during the launch, noted that the programme prioritises youth who have practical business ideas or existing micro-enterprises but lack capital and technical support. Beneficiaries range from agribusiness operators and artisans to traders, service providers and digital entrepreneurs.

Cabinet Secretaries Wycliffe Oparanya( Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development), Salim Mvurya, (Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports) and Lee Kinyanjui (Investments, Trade and Industry); Principal Secretaries, Deputy Governors David Kones (Nakuru) and Felix Kipng'ok (Baringo), over 25 Members of Parliament, Nakuru County officials, and Members of the County Assembly present during the launch of the NYOTA programme. (Photo credit: Susan Kihika on X)

Further disbursements are tied to the completion of training and mentorship trainings. Government officials say this phased approach reduces misuse of funds while increasing the chances of business sustainability.

Backed by the World Bank with Sh5 billion, NYOTA spans all 47 counties and 1,450 wards, aiming to formalize hustles, inspire savings, and link youth to markets and procurement opportunities. Unlike past youth funds, it integrates training, mentorship, and financial literacy to reduce business failure rates.

Still, questions remain. Some beneficiaries worry the initial amounts may not cover capital-intensive ventures, while others call for greater transparency in selection and monitoring. Ruto acknowledged these concerns, promising continuous review and improvement.

“We are learning as we roll out,” he said. “What matters is that we are building a system that works for our young people and delivers real economic transformation.”

For Nakuru, the launch represents more than financial aid. It signals a deliberate strategy to anchor youth at the center of economic transformation, with county and national governments working in tandem.

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