The government will from this week roll out the second phase of business start-up capital under the NYOTA Project, targeting close to 50,000 vulnerable youth across 27 counties in a major boost to youth entrepreneurship.
According to the Principal Secretary for MSMEs Development, Susan Mang’eni, the disbursement will run from January 8 to January 16, 2026, and will be accompanied by mentorship forums to be presided over by President William Ruto in selected regional centres.
The NYOTA Project, implemented under the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development, aims to empower more than 100,000 vulnerable youth across all 1,450 wards nationwide, with a minimum of 70 beneficiaries per ward.
“The NYOTA Project’s Business Support Component is on track to empower over 100,000 vulnerable youth across all 1,450 wards in Kenya,” she said.
Each beneficiary in the current phase will receive Sh22,000 deposited into a NYOTA Pochi la Biashara wallet, alongside an additional Sh3,000 deposited into an NSSF Haba na Haba savings account, bringing the total support per youth to Sh25,000.
The latest rollout follows the completion of nationwide classroom-based business skills training and an earlier pilot disbursement conducted in November 2025. During that first phase, 12,155 youth from Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia and Bungoma counties received start-up capital amounting to Sh303.9 million.
“The first disbursement of the Business Start-up Capital took place on November 7, 2025 for the Western Cluster,” the PS noted.
The second phase will cover counties in Rift Valley, Central, Eastern and Nairobi regions, including Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Meru, Machakos and Nairobi, among others.
Disbursement and mentorship events will be held in Eldoret, Nakuru, Nanyuki, Nyeri, Meru, Machakos and Nairobi on scheduled dates.
Beyond the cash grants, beneficiaries will undergo a structured two-month mentorship programme delivered by business development experts and local entrepreneurs.
The programme is designed to support guided entry into local business ecosystems and markets.
“All NYOTA Project business grant beneficiaries will further benefit from a two-month mentorship programme delivered by business development experts and local entrepreneurs.”
Participants will also undertake a second phase of business development training to prepare them for a future second tranche of funding.
The government emphasized that funds must be used strictly in line with business plans developed during training.
Mang’eni added that schedules for the third phase of disbursement, covering 16 counties largely in Coast, Nyanza and North Eastern regions, will be announced later.
