The government has launched the disbursement of Sh258.4 million under the NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital programme to support 10,337 young entrepreneurs from Nairobi, Kiambu and Kajiado counties at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Each beneficiary will receive Sh25,000 in the first phase, split between Pochi la Biashara and the National Social Security Fund’s Haba na Haba savings account, with a second phase set to raise the total support to Sh50,000 per entrepreneur.
Speaking during the launch, President William Ruto said the initiative is designed to go beyond cash handouts and focus on long-term empowerment of young people.
“We are not just giving you money, we are also going to train you, mentor you and walk with you,” the President said. “It is not enough for us to give you money. This is not just about money. This is about young people and their future.”
Under the first phase, Sh22,000 will be credited directly to each beneficiary’s Pochi la Biashara account on their mobile phones, while Sh3,000 will be deposited into a Haba na Haba Savings Account managed by NSSF. In the second phase of the NYOTA project, beneficiaries will receive an additional Sh25,000 to help establish or expand their businesses.
President William Ruto and other leaders during the NYOTA fund disbursement at Kasarani on January 19,2026. PHOTO/PCSPresident Ruto emphasized that the programme is non-political and focused on generational transformation. “This is not about politics. This is not about political parties. This is not about the next election,” he said. “This is about this generation and the next generation and the future of our country. For a very long time, everything we do is about politics and that is why we never succeed.”
The President reiterated that Kenya’s biggest resource is its people, saying investments in education, skills and jobs are key to national growth. “The people of Kenya is the biggest asset we have. It is more than gold, more than oil,” he said.
The first tranche of start-up capital was disbursed on November 7, 2025, covering the Western Kenya cluster of Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia and Bungoma counties.
A total of 12,155 beneficiaries received Sh25,000 each, including mandatory savings, amounting to a total disbursement of Sh303.9 million.
The counties covered include Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Trans-Nzoia, Turkana, West Pokot, Nakuru, Narok, Bomet, Kericho, Baringo, Laikipia, Isiolo, Samburu, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Machakos, Kitui, Makueni, Nairobi, Kiambu and Kajiado.
Earlier this month, President Ruto launched disbursements in Samburu, Isiolo, Laikipia, and Marsabit, releasing Sh103.9 million. In the North Rift, another Sh250 million was distributed to youth entrepreneurs.
A total of Sh147.5 million has also been disbursed to support 5,901 young entrepreneurs in Machakos, Kitui, and Makueni counties as start-up capital to expand economic opportunities for young people.
The NYOTA programme, a partnership between the government and the World Bank, is a flagship youth empowerment initiative valued at Sh5 billion.
It is designed to support 100,000 young people nationwide, with at least 70 beneficiaries drawn from each of Kenya’s 1,450 wards.
The programme has three additional components beyond start-up capital, including on-the-job training targeting 90,000 young people, recognition of prior learning that will train and certify 20,000 youths, and a procurement training component aimed at equipping 600,000 young people with skills to participate in government tenders.
