After the successful rollout of the NYOTA project in the Western Cluster, the State will on Friday, November 14, 2025, launch training in 25 additional counties, Principal Secretary for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Susan Mang’eni announced on Thursday.
The training will be conducted in Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Turkana, Baringo, Laikipia, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Isiolo, Nakuru, Narok, Kajiado, Nandi, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Kericho and Bomet counties covering 151 constituencies and 754 wards.
“The project was officially launched by President William Ruto last week at the Mumias Sports Complex in Kakamega County, which also marked the rollout of Business Start-Up capital disbursement for the Western Cluster; Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia counties,” Mang’eni said.
She revealed that 12,155 beneficiaries in the Western region had successfully completed mandatory business training and received Sh303,875,000 in total disbursements.
Each participant accessed Sh22,000 through their NYOTA Pochi La Biashara accounts, with Sh3,000 set aside as mandatory short-term savings.
The beneficiaries will now enter a two-month mentorship phase facilitated by Business Development Service Providers, followed by an advanced three-day training aimed at linking them to the broader business ecosystem. Upon completion, they will receive the final tranche of start-up capital and undertake a concluding mentorship session.
The NYOTA project, which is an initiative of the State Department for MSMEs, is designed to empower youth and vulnerable groups by equipping them with entrepreneurial skills, financial literacy, and seed capital to start or grow small businesses. It forms part of the government’s wider Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which prioritises job creation and inclusive economic growth.
The program targets to reach over 100,000 youth across all 1,450 wards, with at least 70 beneficiaries per ward. It also includes 5,000 refugees in Kakuma and Dadaab camps and an additional 5,000 participants from host communities.
According to the PS, the upcoming training will run for four days, with participants required to attend at least three to qualify for start-up funding.
“We have mapped out 22 training centres, with some constituencies having more than one based on size,” she said.
Training in the remaining 18 counties, among them Nairobi, Kiambu, Nyeri, Murang’a, Mombasa, and Garissa, will be conducted at a later stage, she added.
Other counties are: Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Taita Taveta, Marsabit, Samburu, Wajir and Mandera