In a landmark move to address Kenya’s ballooning youth unemployment crisis, the Cabinet has approved the launch of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project, a government initiative aimed at creating employment opportunities for the country’s vulnerable and unemployed youth, including persons with disabilities.
The project, which is set to be officially launched in August 2025, is a collaborative effort between the Government of Kenya and the World Bank. It is expected to reach at least 820,000 young Kenyans, providing critical support in job placements, entrepreneurship, and formal recognition of existing skills.
According to a Cabinet dispatch released on Tuesday, the NYOTA programme is a key pillar of the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and seeks to enhance employability, promote decent work, and uplift youth from economic vulnerability.
“The ongoing call for the on-the-job experience programme targets 90,000 youth for three to six months of paid placements with employers, with monthly stipends of Ksh.6,000 deposited into Haba Haba savings accounts,” read part of the dispatch.
NYOTA is organized into three main components:
- Paid On-the-Job Training – Young people will be placed in short-term roles with various employers, gaining hands-on experience while earning a monthly stipend of Ksh.6,000. The program is designed to last between three and six months.
- Entrepreneurship Support – Youth with business ideas or ongoing ventures will receive training, mentorship, and financial support to scale their enterprises sustainably.
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Certification – To address the widespread issue of informal skills, NYOTA will provide RPL certification for those who have acquired competencies outside formal education, improving their chances in the job market.
Applications for the programme opened on July 11, 2025, and will remain open until August 15, 2025. Already, over one million applications have been received, a clear indicator of the overwhelming demand for employment and skills development opportunities among Kenyan youth.
The launch of NYOTA comes at a time when Kenya is grappling with a growing unemployment crisis, especially among the youth. In 2024, the World Bank projected the youth unemployment rate in Kenya at 5.7 per cent, though many experts believe the figure underrepresents the magnitude of underemployment and informal labor.
Data from the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) shows that youth make up over 35% of the country’s population, yet they experience the highest unemployment rates. More than a million young people join the labor market annually, many lacking job-ready skills or formal qualifications.
To counter this, the government has emphasized inclusive and sustainable economic growth, targeting youth and women through initiatives such as the Hustler Fund, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) financing, and now the NYOTA Project.
For thousands of youth, NYOTA offers more than just employment — it presents a path to dignity, empowerment, and self-reliance.
“The NYOTA Project will bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, recognizing the untapped potential of our youth and providing a structured path to economic participation,” a senior official in the Ministry of Youth Affairs stated.
As the August launch date nears, both the government and its development partners are optimistic that NYOTA will not only offer short-term relief but also lay the groundwork for a more resilient and inclusive workforce in Kenya.
Eligible youth can submit their applications through designated online platforms or via local administration offices between now and August 15, 2025.
With joblessness posing a growing threat to Kenya’s social and economic fabric, the success of NYOTA may well shape the country’s development trajectory for years to come.
Written By Rodney
