Thousands of youth from across Kakamega County turned out for the NYOTA Business Support Validation Exercise, underscoring their commitment to entrepreneurship and self-employment as viable pathways for economic empowerment.
The exercise, spearheaded by the Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, Hon. Dr. Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, brought together key national and county stakeholders, including representatives from the State Department for Youth Affairs, the Assistant County Commissioner, National Government Administrators, MSEA Registrar of MSEs Madam Maureen Chogo, and MSEA Kakamega Regional Head Ms. Doreen Nandwa.
Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, Hon. Dr. Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, MSEA Registrar of MSEs Madam Maureen Chogo, Senior Enterprise Development Officer Elizabeth Wangui and the Assistant County Commissioner Butere Constituency making their remarks during the validation exercise.
Held across all 12 constituencies in Kakamega County, the exercise attracted an impressive 11,000 applicants, each eager to participate in the transformative NYOTA Business Support intervention a collaboration between the World Bank and the Government of Kenya initiative designed to strengthen youth-owned enterprises, promote innovation, and spur job creation.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Oparanya commended the youth for their enthusiasm and proactive participation, noting that the overwhelming turnout was a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit that defines Kakamega’s young population.
“The response we have seen today is encouraging. It shows that our young people are ready to take charge of their economic future,” said Dr. Oparanya. “I urge all applicants to complete the Entrepreneurship Aptitude Test (EAT) within the extended period and position themselves to fully benefit from this initiative.”
Moments captured during the validation exercise.
The Cabinet Secretary emphasized that the NYOTA program goes beyond financial support. It seeks to build capable, resilient, and skilled entrepreneurs equipped with the right mindset to run sustainable and growth-oriented enterprises.
He further reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that the program empowers the youth to become active contributors to Kenya’s economic transformation agenda through enterprise development and innovation.
The Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) continues to play a central role in the implementation and coordination of NYOTA Component 2, Support for Job Creation. Through this, MSEA ensures that eligible young entrepreneurs receive the necessary support, mentorship, and capacity building to thrive in the competitive business environment.
The successful validation exercise in Kakamega marked a major step forward in the national rollout of the NYOTA Program, signaling renewed hope for thousands of youth determined to turn their business ideas into sustainable ventures.
Pictorial highlights from the validation exercise in Kakamega County.
