Nairobi, Kenya – The Kenyan government has clarified that its ambitious National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Programme will not extend its grants to college and university students. Principal Secretary for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development, Susan Mang'eni, stated on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, that the initiative is strictly for young people at the bottom of the economic pyramid, aiming to foster self-reliance and entrepreneurship among those with limited access to formal education and financial opportunities.

PS Mang'eni, speaking during a local television interview, revealed that out of 1.4 million applications received, nearly 200,000 were from college and university students who do not meet the current eligibility criteria. She emphasised that the NYOTA Programme is a targeted intervention to empower the most financially disadvantaged youth, particularly those who are unemployed or engaged in small-scale businesses within the informal sector.

Historical and Political Context

The NYOTA Programme, a five-year flagship project, is a joint initiative by the Kenyan government and the World Bank, targeting 820,000 youths across the country. It aligns with the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which seeks to uplift ordinary Kenyans by providing resources to kickstart or expand their ventures.

The programme was officially launched with the aim of reducing youth unemployment by offering grants, skills training, and business support. Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Fikirini Jacobs, has actively championed the programme, urging young people to embrace technical education and take advantage of government initiatives like NYOTA, Jitume, and Climate Works.

Laws, Policy, and Governance

The eligibility criteria for the NYOTA Programme are specific: applicants must be Kenyan citizens aged 18-29 years (up to 35 for persons with disabilities), have a Form 4 level of education or below, and be unemployed, underemployed, or working in low-income jobs. This educational cap is a key reason for the exclusion of college and university students. The application process is conducted digitally via the USSD code *254#, ensuring accessibility even for those with feature phones.

The government has put in place strict monitoring and accountability mechanisms to ensure the proper utilisation of the disbursed funds. PS Fikirini Jacobs confirmed the implementation of consultants and a robust audit system to guide and monitor beneficiaries. Youth officers in every sub-county are tasked with engaging these young people, and applicants are expected to have a business idea in mind.

Stakeholders and Testimonies

The NYOTA Programme is implemented through a multi-agency approach, involving the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) for business support, and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) for youth savings initiatives. The programme's design also incorporates inclusive approaches for vulnerable and marginalised groups, including persons with disabilities.

Evidence and Data

The first phase of the NYOTA Programme aims to support 54,000 young people with start-up grants, followed by immediate skills training. Each of the 1,450 wards across the country is expected to have up to 70 beneficiaries receiving KSh 50,000 grants, disbursed in two tranches of KSh 25,000 each, subject to meeting training and mentorship requirements.

Risks and Implications

While the exclusion of college and university students from NYOTA grants is a clear policy decision, PS Mang'eni assured that the ministry is developing separate initiatives to cater to tertiary students, acknowledging their need for opportunities. This segmentation aims to ensure that each programme effectively serves its intended target group.

Unknowns and Controversies

The specific details and timelines for the separate initiatives targeting college and university students are yet to be fully disclosed. It remains to be seen how these future programmes will be structured and what their eligibility criteria will entail.

Timeline and Next Steps

The application window for the current phase of the NYOTA Programme closed on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at 12 noon EAT. Validation and tests are scheduled for Thursday, October 17, 2025, followed by business training for Western and North Eastern clusters from Tuesday, October 22, to Friday, October 25, 2025. The national launch and disbursement of funds are slated for Tuesday, October 29, 2025, in Kakamega, with final disbursements continuing until Friday, November 28, 2025.

What to Watch

Stakeholders will be keenly watching for the announcement of the new initiatives designed for college and university students, as well as the successful implementation and impact of the initial phase of the NYOTA Programme on the targeted youth at the economic base.

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