Project Implementation Status Update

NATIONAL YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES TOWARDS ADVANCEMENT (NYOTA) PROJECT

IMPLEMENTATION STATUS UPDATE

About the NYOTA Project

The National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project is a five-year initiative of the Government of Kenya, supported by the World Bank. Its goal is simple but powerful: empower young people to create jobs, build businesses, grow savings, and shape Kenya’s future.

We aim to reach 820,000 unemployed youth aged 18–29 years (and up to 35 years for Persons with Disabilities) with Form 4 level education and below.

Through NYOTA, young people gain:
✅ Skills to get jobs
✅ Support to start businesses
✅ Financial literacy and savings culture
✅ Access to digital opportunities

What Does NYOTA Offer?

1. Improving Youth Employability

• 90,000 youth to receive in-demand skills through training, work-readiness, and apprenticeships.
• 20,000 youth to be certified through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – proving their skills gained informally.
• Implemented by SDYACE, NEA, NITA, and SDL.

2. Expanding Employment Opportunities

• 110,000 youth entrepreneurs supported to start or grow businesses.
• Benefits include: training, mentorship, startup funding, and financial linkages.
• Implemented by MSEA.

3. Supporting Youth Savings

• 190,000 youth trained in financial literacy and supported to save through NSSF’s ‘Haba Haba’ scheme.
• Includes incentives such as savings matches and maternity benefits.
• Implemented by NSSF.

4. Strengthening Youth Systems

• Builds the capacity of government and counties to coordinate youth initiatives.
• Provides digital skills training for 600,000 youth to access government opportunities.
• Implemented by SDYACE and SD-MSMED.

Current Status 

Labour Market Insights

• Real-time data on trending jobs, business opportunities, and high-growth sectors is now available.
• Youth can use this data to make informed choices about careers and business ventures.

Business Support

• Over 1 million applications received (May 2025).
• Shortlisted applicants will undertake the Entrepreneurship Aptitude Test (EAT).
• The first cohort of 54,000 youth starts on 29th August 2025.

On-the-Job Experience (OJE)

• 144,239 applications received (closed 15th August 2025).
• Successful applicants start training on 29th September 2025.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

• 40,142 applications received (closed 7th July 2025).
• Next step: sensitization, competency assessment, and certification.

Youth Savings

• All beneficiaries are automatically enrolled in the NSSF Haba Haba Scheme.
• Business support and OJE participants save through automatic deposits and contributions.
• 2:1 matching incentive for voluntary savers – save KES 2, get KES 1 extra from the project (up to KES 6,000).
• Expectant mothers saving KES 400/month for 4 months get a maternity benefit of KES 16,000