The government is positioning youth enterprise financing as a long-term economic investment rather than a one-off funding exercise, as it rolled out Sh258.4 million in NYOTA Business Capital Support to more than 10,000 young entrepreneurs in Nairobi, Kiambu and Kajiado counties.
Speaking during the launch at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, President William Ruto said access to capital alone is not enough to build sustainable businesses, stressing the need for continuous skills development and mentorship.
“It is not enough to support our young people with the necessary finance and opportunity-creating programmes that drive economic success,” the President later stated on his social, adding that the government must “continue walking with them, step-by-step, routinely offering them more training and mentorship.”
The funding targets 10,337 youth-owned enterprises, with the administration framing the initiative as part of a broader strategy to grow small businesses into stable employers and contributors to the formal economy.
From a business perspective, the NYOTA programme is designed to reduce early-stage failure rates by combining grants with structured support. President Ruto said successful youth enterprises would eventually become economic partners to the state.
“When they succeed, they will not only secure their future, but also become our partners in the transformation of Kenya into a first-world economy,” he further stated.
Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy Fikirini Jacobs also took to his handle noting that the disbursement process is already underway and is being carried out under a “transparent, merit-based process”, aimed at supporting enterprises with real growth potential.
According to Jacobs, the programme is already showing impact by accelerating entrepreneurship, creating jobs, and building sustainable livelihoods, especially among youth-led micro and small enterprises.
He urged beneficiaries to treat the grant as growth capital rather than consumption funding and to tap into other NYOTA-linked tools that support business expansion.
“We urge all youth to fully leverage the other NYOTA components, including RPL, AGPO, and on-the-job experience, to strengthen their skills, scale their enterprises, and maximize impact,” Jacobs noted.
The NYOTA rollout reflects a policy shift toward bundling capital with capability, as the government seeks to improve survival rates of youth businesses, expand the tax base over time, and reduce unemployment through enterprise-led growth rather than public-sector hiring.
