NYOTA Phase 2: Full schedule for 50,000 Kenyans to start receiving Sh25,000 each

The Government of Kenya has announced the second phase of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project, a major initiative aimed at empowering over 100,000 vulnerable youth across the country. 

In a statement released on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Principal Secretary for MSMEs Development, Susan Mang'eni, confirmed that the government is set to disburse start-up capital to nearly 50,000 beneficiaries across 27 counties. 

Beginning Thursday, January 8, 2026, successful beneficiaries who have completed their mandatory three-day business skills training will receive their first tranche of funding. Each youth is set to receive a total of Sh25,000, distributed as follows:

Sh22,000 deposited directly into their NYOTA Pochi la Biashara wallet for business operations.

Sh3,000 deposited into their Haba na Haba NSSF account to encourage long-term saving. 

This follows a successful first phase in November 2025, where over 12,000 youth in the Western Cluster (Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, and Bungoma) received a total of Sh303.8 million. 

The disbursement events, which will also include mentorship sessions, are expected to be graced by President William Ruto. The rollout will follow a strict regional schedule:

The NYOTA project is designed to be more than just a cash transfer program. Beyond the initial capital, beneficiaries will enter a two-month mentorship program led by local entrepreneurs and business experts

"The beneficiaries will further undertake a second phase of Business Development Support training to prepare them for the second tranche of disbursement," the statement noted. 

 Participants are expected to utilise the funds strictly according to the business plans they developed during their initial training

For youth in the remaining 16 counties, including the Coastal region, Nyanza, and parts of North Eastern, the Ministry indicated that the Phase 3 schedule will be announced "in due course"

The government remains committed to reaching every corner of the country, with a target of at least 70 beneficiaries in each of Kenya's 1,450 wards