More than 29,000 youth across Kisii County have registered for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project, State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke has said.
The NYOTA initiative is aimed at empowering young people through entrepreneurship, training and financial support.
Speaking during the verification exercise at Kisii National Polytechnic on the outskirts of Kisii town, Isaboke noted that the high number of registrations followed a successful sensitisation drive conducted two weeks earlier, where youth were encouraged to sign up online through the USSD code *254#.
“The response has been overwhelming. We have recorded 804,000 registrations nationwide and Kisii County accounted for about 29,979 applicants,” Isaboke said.
The PS explained that the ongoing validation exercise was crucial to ensuring that beneficiaries are genuine, locally distributed and meet the project’s criteria.
“Applicants are required to present their National Identity Cards (IDs) for authentication and answer a few questions to confirm their eligibility and commitment to the project,” Isaboke added.
After verification, applicants will be required to take the Entrepreneurship Aptitude Test (EAT) as a mandatory requirement for the final selection, to assess their business potential and readiness for self-employment.
Isaboke said the government had allocated Sh20 billion for the Nyota Project and the first Sh5 billion has been released for Phase One, with subsequent disbursements to follow.
After the screening, 3150 successful applicants in Kisii will receive a Sh50,000 grant each to start and expand small businesses.
“This initiative is not just about money but about building a culture of entrepreneurship and resilience among our young people,” said the Principal Secretary.
Isaboke added the huge turnout and enthusiasm reflects the youth’s readiness to embrace opportunities for economic empowerment.
According to the PS, the success of the NYOTA project would be critical in ensuring that similar initiatives are rolled out in the future.
He urged young people to remain open-minded and take advantage of multiple government initiatives, including labour mobility programmes that facilitate employment abroad.
“So far, over 400,000 youth have secured jobs in countries such as Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Canada through government-led partnerships,” Isaboke noted.
The PS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering youth through entrepreneurship skills development and job placement to ensure no willing young person is left behind.
The NYOTA project is a 5-year initiative by the Government of Kenya, funded by the World Bank, aimed at transforming the lives of vulnerable youth.
By Sophia Matoya and Mercy Osongo
