The Government of Kenya’s commitment to empowering young people took a major step forward as the Cabinet approved the official launch of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project, now scheduled for August 2025. This transformative, five-year initiative, is designed to reach 820,000 vulnerable and unemployed youth across the country with targeted support in skills development, entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion.
To set the stage for the upcoming launch, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Creative Economy and Sports hosted a national roundtable and award ceremony in Nairobi. The event, led by Cabinet Secretary Hon. Salim Mvurya, brought together youth delegates from all 47 counties and served as both a platform for meaningful engagement and a celebration of youth creativity. At the heart of the event was the NYOTA Logo Design Contest, a national call to young creatives to contribute to the identity of a project designed for them.
The winners of the logo contest; Mr. Job Ojiambo, Ms. Judy Nyambura and Mr. Fanuel Omoka receiving their awards from Hon. Salim Mvurya, CS Ministry of Youth, Sports and Creative Economy.
Mr. Job Ojiambo Ogweno emerged as the overall winner of the competition, with Ms. Judy Nyambura and Mr. Fanuel Omoka securing the first and second runners-up positions, respectively.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. Mvurya underscored the significance of NYOTA’s youth-led design. He pointed out that unlike past youth initiatives, NYOTA stands apart for its national scope, co-creation approach, and the depth of support it offers beneficiaries. The project provides a pathway out of unemployment through practical tools such as apprenticeships, business capital, mentorship, and access to savings platforms.
The roundtable was moderated by Principal Secretary Mr. Fikirini Jacobs, who directly engaged with youth representatives and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that NYOTA is responsive, inclusive, and impactful.
Also speaking at the event was Mr. Patrick Kamenyi, the Component 2 Project Coordinator, who shared updates on the project’s progress. He noted that the business support intervention had attracted over one million applications when the call for applications closed in May 2025. The selection process is now underway, and successful applicants will undergo an Entrepreneurship Aptitude Test before proceeding to training and mentorship for those who are selected. These sessions will build their capacity to run sustainable businesses, with each beneficiary receiving KES 50,000 in start-up support. Of this amount, KES 3,000 from each tranche will be automatically channeled into their NSSF ‘Haba Haba’ savings account.
Mr. Patrick Kamenyi, NYOTA Project Coordinator for Business Support Intervention Implemented by Micro and Small Enterprises Authority.
The NYOTA project focuses on four interconnected areas: improving youth employability, expanding entrepreneurial opportunities, encouraging a culture of savings, and strengthening systems that support youth employment. The project aims to equip 90,000 young people with practical skills and apprenticeship experience, while recognizing the existing capabilities of 20,000 others through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program. As of the RPL application deadline on July 7, 2025, more than 40,000 young people had applied to be formally certified for skills acquired through informal or non-traditional paths. The apprenticeship intervention, which combines social-emotional training with real-world job exposure, remains a key pillar of the program. By 24th July, over 60,000 applications had already been received for the On-the-Job Experience. The application window remains open until 15th August, with the first group of selected youth expected to begin training in September.
NYOTA is also investing in building a future-focused generation of savers, Beneficiaries will be enrolled into the NSSF ‘Haba Haba’ scheme, with incentives in place to encourage long-term savings. The project will match youth savings at a 2:1 ratio up to KES 6,000 for those who consistently save for six months after completing their intervention. Female participants who save an additional KES 400 monthly for four months will also qualify for a maternity benefit of KES 4,000 per month for four months, further supporting financial security and inclusion.
For more information, visit www.nyotaproject.go.ke
Pictorial from the NYOTA Logo award ceremony.
