The National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project has issued a warning to the public over a fake mobile application falsely claiming to be linked to it.
In a statement on Wednesday, November 12, NYOTA cautioned Kenyans against falling victim to scammers circulating misinformation about the supposed app.
“NYOTA Project has no fund app. The information being circulated about the fund app is fake. Youth, let’s stay alert so that we don’t fall victim to fraudsters,” the notice read.
The warning comes two weeks after the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) warned Kenyans against fraudulent M-PESA messages claiming that youth have received funds from the NYOTA Project or NYOTA Foundation.
In a statement released on Monday, October 27, MSEA issued a scam alert after receiving multiple reports of fake messages prompting recipients to send money to unknown numbers.
“We have received reports of fraudulent M-pesa messages claiming that youth have received funds from the NYOTA Project or NYOTA Foundation and prompting recipients to send money to unknown numbers,” the statement read.
MSEA emphasised that no M-PESA payments have been made to any beneficiaries of the programme, and urged the public to be vigilant and only trust communications from verified sources.
“Please note: NYOTA has not sent any M-pesa-related payments. All official SMS communication to youth will be sent only from ‘Nyota Ke’ and through the project’s verified social media pages,” the statement added.
As such, the authority called on Kenyans to exercise caution when receiving suspicious messages.
“We urge the public to ignore, avoid sharing, and report any such messages or suspicious activity,” the statement concluded.
The NYOTA Project, a five-year initiative aimed at addressing youth unemployment and promoting sustainable economic empowerment, was launched on Monday, October 8.
NYOTA focuses on expanding income-generating opportunities, fostering savings, and nurturing entrepreneurship among young Kenyans.
Through the programme, the government aims to empower youth as innovators and contributors to national development and economic resilience.
The project targets 820,000 vulnerable youth across all 47 counties, offering them a chance to gain employability skills, business support, and access to financial services.
Participants in the On-the-Job Experience (OJE) or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programmes will receive a nationally recognized certificate upon completion.
Through the NSSF’s Haba Haba Savings Scheme, all selected NYOTA beneficiaries are automatically registered as members and assigned a member number.
This initiative encourages long-term savings by allowing access to 30% of the savings after one year, while the remaining amount is secured for future needs.
Moreover, NSSF contributions made through this scheme are tax-deductible up to a limit of Ksh30,000 per month, providing an additional financial incentive for young savers.
