Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Youth, Creative Economy and Sports Salim Mvurya says the Sh5 billion National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) program is a bold intervention that will foster social stability in the long run.
CS Mvurya said the project spearheaded by the national government and funded by the World Bank is potentially a ‘panacea to widespread youth unemployment’ and associated social problems in the country.
The CS noted that the national project seeks to tackle the significant challenge of youth unemployment through skills training, entrepreneurship support, mentorship and linking young people to employment opportunities.
Mvurya pointed out that the project will address high levels of youth unemployment, widespread poverty and foster social stability through skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
He said the project will create sustainable job opportunities for the young people by delivering ‘practical, industry-relevant skills’.
The transformative youth empowerment programme seeks to improve youth employability, expanding employment opportunities, supporting youth savings through NSSFs Haba Haba Informal Sector Savings Product, strengthening youth employment systems, enhancing youth entrepreneurship, and provision of e-commerce platforms (market place) to ensure sustainability and scalability of businesses.
Mvurya who was accompanied by Principal Secretary (PS) for Science, Research and Innovation Prof. Abdulrazak Shaukat, was speaking in Kwale during the launch of the nationwide grassroot leaders NYOTA Sensitization Forum.
These forums sought to enlighten leaders and stakeholders on the 820,000 opportunities available for vulnerable youth aged 18–29 years across all 1,450 wards, enabling them to connect with existing initiatives in business development, entrepreneurship training, and on-the-job experience, all aimed at transforming youth livelihoods.
The active participation of grassroots leaders ensures that vital information and opportunities are cascaded down to the community level, reaching youth in every ward.
Application window for the second round of business support will run from 6th-12th October 2025. *Dial 254# to apply and stand a chance to access Sh50,000 in business support and training.
NYOTA application is being rolled out via a digital application platform (254#) that is transparent and accessible while women, youth and persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups and marginalized communities are encouraged to apply.
The NYOTA sensitization forum was also attended by Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani, County Commissioner Stephen Orinde, local Members of Parliament (MPs) Kassim Tandaza (Matuga), Feisal Bader (Msambweni), Gonzi Rai (Kinango) and Mangale Chiforomodo (Lunga Lunga) and host of MCAs.
“The overarching objectives of the NYOTA project is to increase employment opportunities, increase earnings and inculcate a saving culture among the youth,” he said.
Mvurya noted that NYOTA will bring synergy with skill acquisition and entrepreneurship by empowering the youth with practical skills to exploit economic opportunities leading to increased job creation and economic growth.
He said the project targets to benefit 820,000 vulnerable youth aged between 18 and 29 years and upto 35 years for persons with disabilities with four levels of education.
100,000 youth will be supported nationwide with 70 per ward across 1450 wards while each beneficiary will receive Sh50, 000 for business startups.
“NYOTA also entails training 90,000 youth with practical skills while a further 600,000 will be trained on Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO),” said Mvurya.
He said AGPO is an affirmative action program that seeks to ensure women, youth and people with disabilities have equal opportunities in life.
Mvurya says the national government is committed to supporting women and youth-led enterprises because they are critical to job creation and socio- economic growth.
He said the aim of the AGPO program is to facilitate the enterprises owned by women, youth and persons with disabilities to be able to participate in government opportunities.
PS Prof. Shaukat says the NYOTA project will run for five years and will be equipping the beneficiaries with vocational, digital and entrepreneurial skills.
“The youth have boundless potential and resilience and NYOTA is here to unlock that potential to fuel national growth and progress,” said Prof. Shaukat.
The PS stated that at the heart of the NYOTA project is the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), a key intervention aimed at officially certifying the skills and knowledge that youth have acquired through informal or life experiences rather than through formal education system.
He said the RPL will enhance the employability and productivity of youth by helping them access better job opportunities and transition into the formal economy by providing formal validation of their practical skills.
Prof. Shaukat says NYOTA aligns with the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and seeks to promote sustainable employment and close the skills gaps noting that the country is brimming with human energy yet constrained by shortage of relevant skills.
He decried that inadequate skills training and mismatch between education and market forces demands have long compounded the youth unemployment crisis.
The local political leadership led by Governor Achani welcomed the youth empowerment initiative noting that NYOTA will foster growth and development by expanding opportunities for young people.
She said NYOTA reflects a bold and unwavering commitment in addressing the problem of youth unemployment and building a prosperous future for all.
The coastal county boss said the youth initiative will position the country as a beacon of hope, progress, innovation, and shared prosperity.
By Hussein Abdullahi
