The Cooperatives Ministry has revealed the schedule for distributing the second batch of Ksh25,000 to young participants in the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) fund program.
During a TV47 interview on Tuesday, April 14, Cooperatives Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni confirmed that the second installment of fund distribution will commence next week.
Mang’eni stated that the national rollout of the Ksh33 billion initiative will officially start on Monday, April 20, 2026, with simultaneous distribution across various regions of the country.
The second phase of NYOTA fund distribution will commence next week, starting April 20, and will be implemented nationwide simultaneously. Unlike the previous phase, it won’t be conducted in stages, Mang’eni explained.
The Principal Secretary noted that all selected young people have successfully finished their mentorship programs.
She additionally mentioned that the government has deployed development specialists who are prepared to conduct training sessions connected to the second phase implementation.
We are fully prepared. All our business development experts are ready, and they have made arrangements to conduct training sessions, she added.
Mang’eni revealed that by Sunday, April 19, all recipients will have received invitations to participate in the second phase of the program.
Furthermore, the government is making efforts to include applicants who were left out during the first phase, with the Cabinet Secretary stating that measures are being taken to ensure they are included in the current process.
The President has recognized this as an effective model and is pursuing additional financing from development partners to assist those who didn’t benefit in the first phase, she said.
NYOTA receives funding from the World Bank and is designed to empower young people by tackling unemployment, income instability, and low savings.
Reports show that approximately 101,721 young Kenyans nationwide received benefits from the fund during the initial nationwide distribution.
Each participant in the fund receives Ksh22,000 in direct business support and Ksh3,000 in savings deposited under the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Haba Haba Scheme.
To enhance the program’s success, county governments have recently introduced a two-year exemption from business license fees for NYOTA recipients.
In addition to the Ksh50,000 program, the government is introducing the On-the-Job Experience (OJE) initiative, which will be implemented in various regions across the country, targeting 14,000 participants.
Participants in this initiative will complete mandatory Social Emotional Skills Development (SESD) training to improve workplace preparedness and job prospects.
Beneficiaries of this intervention will receive a monthly allowance of Ksh6,000 for the six-month duration of the project, with a portion allocated to savings in their Haba Haba Savings Account.