The NYOTA programme has officially been launched by President William Ruto’s administration in a bold step to combat youth unemployment in Kenya. The National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme, approved by Cabinet on Tuesday, July 28, 2025, is expected to benefit over 820,000 vulnerable and jobless young Kenyans, including persons with disabilities.
Backed by the World Bank, the NYOTA programme is set to begin in August 2025 as a flagship part of the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
A central feature of the initiative is the On-the-Job Experience component, which will offer 90,000 youth paid placements lasting between three and six months. Participants will receive monthly stipends of KSh 6,000, deposited into Haba Haba savings accounts, according to the official Cabinet dispatch.
“The ongoing call for the On-the-Job Experience programme targets 90,000 youth for three- to six-month paid placements with employers,” read the statement.
Applications for the NYOTA programme opened on July 11 and will close on August 15, 2025. Interested youth can apply through the designated government platforms.
What the NYOTA Programme Offers
The NYOTA programme is structured around four key pillars:
- Paid On-the-Job Training
- Entrepreneurship Support
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Certification
- Opportunities for Future Work
The government confirmed that over one million applications have already been received, indicating massive public interest.
Other Youth Employment Programmes by the Government
The launch of the NYOTA programme is part of a wider government strategy to fight unemployment and equip the Kenyan youth with critical job skills.
Some of the complementary initiatives include:
- Climate WorX Programme: Launched in June 2025 across all 47 counties, aiming to generate over 110,000 green jobs.
- Overseas Jobs Plan: In 2024, the government announced 300,000 international job placements in 19 countries, supported by KSh 300,000 loans to cover travel and relocation.
- Affordable Housing Internship Programme: Introduced in July 2025, this programme targets 4,000 university and TVET graduates for placements in architecture, surveying, engineering, and construction.
- Affordable Housing Project: The broader housing initiative is projected to create over 250,000 jobs annually by constructing 200,000 units per year.
President Ruto emphasized that these interventions aim to empower Kenyan youth, enhance their employability, and foster a skilled and self-reliant workforce that drives long-term economic growth.
