Government begins second phase of NYOTA business grants for youth across 27 counties

The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports has initiated the second rollout of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project. This phase targets young entrepreneurs across 27 selected counties, offering financial support to help establish or scale up small-scale businesses. The program aims to address unemployment by providing direct capital to individuals who have completed vocational training or have viable business plans in various sectors, including the technical trades and local services.

Under this disbursement phase, the government is focusing on a wider geographic reach compared to the initial pilot. Officials noted that the grants are designed to assist youth who often face barriers when attempting to access traditional credit from commercial banks. The selection process for beneficiaries involves a vetting procedure to ensure that the funds are directed toward sustainable projects that can contribute to local economic activity.

By focusing on 27 counties, the program intends to decentralize economic support, moving resources closer to rural and peri-urban youth. The grants are part of a broader strategy to formalize small businesses and encourage self-employment within the artisan and technical sectors. The ministry has indicated that monitoring will be conducted to track the progress of the funded enterprises and ensure the effective use of the allocated public resources.