The government has set aside Sh6.4 billion to expand and modernise National Youth Service (NYS) training facilities as it moves to raise annual recruitment towards 100,000 young people by 2028.
The funding will be used to put up more classrooms, workshops, barracks, kitchens and administration blocks at NYS centres across the country, Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku said.
Ruku, who represented President William Ruto during the passing-out parade for the NYS 01/2026 cohort at the Paramilitary Academy in Gilgil on Friday, said the upgraded facilities would be able to accommodate and train about 50,000 NYS members at a time.
“The President had earlier directed that recruitment should progressively expand towards 100,000 young people by 2028. Such expansion must be matched by adequate infrastructure, equipment, training facilities and human-resource capacity.
“To this end, the Government has approved Sh6.4 billion for the re-engineering and expansion of NYS training infrastructure across the country.
“The investment will support the development of additional classrooms, workshops, barracks, kitchens and administration facilities, with the capacity to accommodate and equip approximately 50,000 serving men and women at any given time.”
The planned investment comes as the country faces the growing need to provide education, technical skills and jobs for its expanding young population.
Population projections show that Kenyans aged between 15 and 24 are expected to rise from 11.1 million in 2025 to 12.3 million by 2045. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics continues to provide labour-market data to help guide programmes targeting employment and labour under-utilisation among young people.
NYS recruitment combines paramilitary training with practical and technical skills. Under its 2025 recruitment notice, successful applicants were required to undertake training at the NYS Paramilitary Academy in Gilgil and the NYS Technical and Vocational Training Institute in Naivasha.
Ruku said the government would continue expanding technical and vocational training to ensure recruits complete their NYS service with skills that can be used in the labour market.
He said 12,760 NYS alumni had moved into vetted employment opportunities since 2024, including 5,720 who obtained jobs in the United Kingdom, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.
According to Ruku, these placements support the government's Labour Mobility Programme, Kazi Majuu, which is designed to help qualified Kenyans find employment opportunities abroad through orderly and government-supported channels.
Beyond training and employment, the government is also using NYS in several areas of national development, including construction, agriculture, environmental conservation and emergency response.
Ruku said NYS personnel had helped plant more than 71.8 million trees since 2022. The service's 22 nurseries have the capacity to produce about 50 million seedlings every year.
NYS personnel have also taken part in Climate WorX programmes, including road opening, river restoration and other projects intended to improve the ability of communities to cope with environmental challenges.
The service has further been involved in responding to disasters.
In Chesongoch, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Ruku said between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of the 56 houses being rebuilt after landslides had been completed. The first completed houses had already been handed over to families affected by the disaster.
The government is also preparing to equip NYS with more machinery to strengthen its construction and commercial work.
It is procuring 50 large tipper trucks and two-wheel loaders, while another 50 excavators are expected to be acquired.
In agriculture, NYS is working with the National Irrigation Authority to place 3,000 acres in the Tana Basin under cultivation.
The service is also expanding potato seed multiplication in Turbo and setting up a fodder production, processing and reserve centre in the Tana Basin.
Ruku said NYS should establish at least 100 acres dedicated to the production of clean and disease-free potato seed in Turbo.
The government is also looking at expanding NYS operations to Marsabit and other northern parts of the country. The move is intended to give young people in marginalised areas access to skills linked to economic activities in their communities.
Another area highlighted during the ceremony was the formal recognition of skills gained through NYS training.
Ruku said NYS had developed a Recognition of Prior Learning policy, under which 56 of more than 200 personnel identified for assessment had already received certification.
He challenged the graduating recruits to use the discipline, teamwork and technical skills gained during their training to serve their communities and take part in Kenya's national development.