The government has launched the second phase of disbursement under the NYOTA Project, set to benefit nearly 50,000 youth entrepreneurs across 27 counties between January 8 and January 16, 2026.
The latest rollout follows the completion of nationwide classroom training under the project’s Business Support Component, which targets over 100,000 vulnerable youth in all 1,450 wards countrywide.
Principal Secretary for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Susan Mang’eni said the programme was progressing as planned and already delivering impact on the ground.
She noted that the first phase of disbursement, conducted on November 7, 2025, covered parts of Western Kenya, where 12,155 beneficiaries received Ksh25,000 each. Of this amount, Ksh3,000 was set aside as savings, bringing the total disbursed funds to Ksh303.9 million.
Under the second phase, each beneficiary will receive Ksh22,000 through the NYOTA Pochi la Biashara wallet, while an additional Ksh3,000 will be remitted to their National Social Security Fund Haba na Haba account.
Mang’eni explained that the funds target youth who successfully completed the mandatory three-day business skills training. Counties included in the rollout span Rift Valley, Central, Eastern and Nairobi regions, among them Kiambu, Nairobi, Nakuru, Nyeri and Machakos.
Beyond financing, beneficiaries will undergo a two-month mentorship programme led by business development experts and local entrepreneurs to support market entry and enterprise growth. The government says the NYOTA Project remains a key pillar in addressing youth unemployment through skills development, access to capital and structured mentorship.
