Young entrepreneurs in Western Kenya have received a major boost after governors from the region announced a two-year waiver on business licences for all beneficiaries of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project.
The announcement made by the governments of Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, and Bungoma counties is expected to ease the cost of doing business for thousands of youth starting out with support from the national government’s new empowerment initiative.
Speaking during a fireside chat in Kakamega on Friday, hosted by Principal Secretary for MSME Development, Susan Mangeni, the county leaders said the move was part of their joint effort to help young people build sustainable livelihoods and grow their enterprises.
“This decision is about giving our young people a fair start,”PS said . “We want to make sure that the NYOTA beneficiaries have every opportunity to succeed not just with funding, but with real support on the ground.”
The waiver comes as 12,155 youth from the Western cluster begin receiving their first Ksh. 25,000 disbursement, part of a Ksh. 50,000 business grant aimed at helping them start and grow small enterprises. In total, Ksh. 267 million has already been released to the region.
County leaders led by Governor Wilberforce Otichillo (Vihiga), Governor Paul Otuoma (Busia), Governor Kenneth Lusaka (Bungoma), and Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula pledged even more county-level support, including access to County Biashara Funds, allocation of market stalls, and tender opportunities through the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) framework.
President William Ruto commended the counties for working hand-in-hand with the national government to ensure the programme reaches every deserving youth.
“The NYOTA Project is fully digital, transparent, and inclusive. It reflects our government’s commitment to ensuring that every young person regardless of where they come from, has a fair chance to build a business and a future,”he said
He also reaffirmed his administration’s focus on expanding Kenya’s digital infrastructure, including the 100,000 kilometre digital superhighway and digital hubs in every constituency, to open new doors for innovation and online enterprise.
Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSME Development, Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya, praised NYOTA as a “new wave of entrepreneurship” reshaping Kenya’s economy.
“Our young people are full of ideas and energy,” he said. “With the right support, they will not only transform their own lives but also drive Kenya’s growth.”
The event also brought together Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Youth Affairs CS Salim Mvurya, and other leaders, marking a united front in empowering the next generation of Kenyan entrepreneurs.
