World Bank Endorses NYOTA as Cornerstone of Kenya’s Youth Jobs Strategy

The World Bank has identified Kenya’s National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme as a central pillar in efforts to tackle youth unemployment, citing its alignment with the country’s Vision 2030 agenda and the Bottom-Up Economic Model.

The endorsement was made during a grant disbursement exercise targeting beneficiaries in Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu counties, where the Bank reaffirmed its support for interventions focused on job creation, skills development and enterprise growth. The programme is positioned as part of a broader approach that links policy support, infrastructure investment and sector-specific initiatives to employment outcomes.

Speaking at the event, World Bank Country Director Qimiao Fan reiterated the institution’s focus on creating “more, better, and inclusive jobs” through coordinated investment in skills, productive sectors and employment systems.

Under the NYOTA programme, more than 13,000 youth have received an initial KSh 25,000 as the first tranche of business grants. The funds are split between immediate business capital and savings. A second tranche of KSh 25,000 will be released after mentorship and enterprise evaluation, bringing total support per beneficiary to KSh 50,000.

The programme targets 84 youth per ward across 1,450 wards, with an emphasis on skills certification, business support services, youth savings and strengthening employment systems. It focuses primarily on unemployed individuals aged 18 to 29, as well as persons with disabilities up to 35 years old.

NYOTA is implemented through collaboration between the State Departments for Youth, Labour and MSMEs, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and other government agencies. Beyond direct financial support, the initiative aims to improve employability, encourage business formation and build pathways to sustainable livelihoods.

By combining grants, mentorship and institutional support, the programme is designed to move beyond short-term relief and contribute to long-term job creation, with the ultimate goal of generating millions of decent jobs across Kenya.