Ruto: NYOTA programme to empower 820,000 youth in five years
Ruto said NYOTA is designed to create sustainable employment and empower young people to establish and grow their own businesses.
President William Ruto has announced that the National Youth Opportunities and Transformation Agenda (NYOTA) will uplift 820,000 unemployed young people over the next five years.
The initiative aims to provide opportunities through apprenticeships, recognition of prior learning, entrepreneurship grants, digital skills training, and supported savings, targeting a broad spectrum of youth across the country.
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Speaking in Parliament during his 2025 State of the Nation Address on Thursday, President Ruto said NYOTA is designed to create sustainable employment and empower young people to establish and grow their own businesses.
Once fully implemented, the programme is expected to place 90,000 youths into work or enterprise, certify 20,000 in various skill areas, and provide capital to 110,000 youth-owned enterprises.
Additionally, it will support 190,000 savers and build the capacity of 600,000 more to participate in government procurement under the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities(AGPO) framework.
“Many young people do not lack ideas; they lack opportunity. That is why we launched NYOTA, one of the most ambitious youth empowerment programmes in our history," he said.
President Ruto highlighted that NYOTA complements other government initiatives aimed at economic empowerment and financial inclusion, including the Financial Inclusion Fund, also known as the Hustler Fund, which has extended over Sh80 billion to millions of Kenyans, helping small business owners access credit and enabling previously blacklisted individuals to rebuild their financial profiles.
Beyond NYOTA, President Ruto cited other projects creating jobs and expanding opportunities for youth. He cited the Nairobi River Regeneration Programme, for instance, which employs 44,000 youths to restore the river corridor and prepare sites for 10,000 homes, generating over 428,000 jobs so far, with projections to employ up to 1 million Kenyans at peak next year. Similarly, 276 modern markets are under construction nationwide, providing vital spaces for women and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), with another 175 underway to strengthen local commerce.
“MSMEs are the backbone of our economy, the engine room of innovation, and the daily hustle of more than 15 million Kenyans. For decades, access to affordable credit trapped millions in frustration. Without collateral, there were no loans. For the millions blacklisted, every door of opportunity was shut. And when banks refused to take a chance, their dreams simply stalled. As promised, we broke that cycle,” the president said.
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