The government has commenced the nationwide rollout of the Nyota Project, a five-year youth empowerment programme designed to increase employment, enhance earnings and promote a culture of savings among vulnerable youths across all 1,050 wards in Kenya.
The initiative, launched in partnership with the World Bank, targets more than 800,000 young people aged between 18 and 29 years and up to 35 years for persons with disabilities.
According to the Ministry of Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development, the programme is structured to provide strong foundations for sustainable youth economic empowerment.
Cooperatives and MSME Development CS Wycliffe Oparanya said the project focuses on disadvantaged youths who have limited formal education and restricted access to economic opportunities.
He explained that the expected impact of Nyota is to create 110,000 youth entrepreneurs, certify 20,000 artisans under the Recognition of Prior Learning initiative, connect 90,000 youths to employment opportunities and train 600,000 young people to access government procurement platforms.
Speaking during the commencement of the first cluster training in Nairobi County, the CS noted that the consultations, meetings and planning over the past two years are now translating into tangible action on the ground.
He said that the Nyota Project is carefully structured to provide practical skills, mentorship and resources that can help young people establish businesses and secure meaningful employment.
The Nyota Project is implemented through multi-agency collaboration, with key players including the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), under the State Department for MSME Development, the National Employment Authority, the National Industrial Training Authority and the National Social Security Fund.
The State Department for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy provides overall coordination.
The interventions under the project are anchored on four major components. The first component focuses on improving youth employability through skills development, entrepreneurship, certification and work placements.
The second component, spearheaded by the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSME Development, provides training, business development services and startup capital for 50,000 Kenyans, covering at least 70 youths in every ward.
The third component promotes a culture of savings through the Hapa-Hapa scheme managed by the National Social Security Fund, while the fourth strengthens systems and capacity through digital skills training, enabling youths to access financial markets, credit facilities and government procurement opportunities.
The youth entrepreneurship training programme is organized into three cohorts targeting 54,000, 30,000 and 16,000 youths, respectively.
The rollout covers eight regional clusters, beginning with the Western region which includes Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia and Vihiga counties. Each beneficiary undergoes a week-long classroom training, followed by two months of business mentorship, aimed at equipping them with practical skills to establish and manage enterprises.
Successful completion of the training will be followed by disbursement of startup capital, after which beneficiaries will be supported by business development experts to incubate and scale their business ideas.
The CS said the government is determined to ensure the programme benefits all categories of young people, including those in informal settlements and rural areas who are often excluded from mainstream economic opportunities.
He stressed that inclusivity remains central to the project, with persons with disabilities accommodated in training and supported to set up enterprises.
Oparanya pointed out that beyond entrepreneurship, the Nyota Project is designed to instill confidence among young people, foster innovation and promote independence.
He added that by supporting youths with resources and networks, the government is deliberately working to create a generation that is not only seeking jobs but also creating them.
The formal launch of the Nyota Project is scheduled to coincide with the commencement of capital disbursements for the first cohort of beneficiaries and will be presided over by President Dr. William Ruto in the coming weeks.
The Ministry assured Kenyans that the project will be implemented transparently and efficiently, with progress updates provided through official government communication channels.
Oparanya urged young people to seize the opportunity presented by the Nyota Project, emphasizing that the government is committed to unlocking their potential and strengthening the country’s economy through youth innovation.
He said the deliberate targeting of young people is based on the recognition that they form the majority of the population and hold the key to Kenya’s future economic growth.
Meanwhile, as the training kicks off in the Western cluster, anticipation builds in the remaining seven clusters across the country.
Thousands of youths are preparing to participate in the coming months, marking the beginning of what government officials describe as one of the most ambitious youth empowerment projects in Kenya’s history.
By Wendy Sheilla
