President William Ruto has issued fresh orders on the disbursement of funds for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project, as a section of Kenyans received the first tranche of the Ksh50,000 grant.
The official launch of the NYOTA Project on Friday, November 7, 2025, in Kakamega County by President Ruto coincided with the first round of business grant disbursements in which over 12,000 youth received Ksh25,000 each, amounting to a total of Ksh267 million.
A total of 12,155 successful project applicants for both the Business Support and On-the-Job Experience components drawn from four Western Kenya counties of Bungoma, Vihiga, Kakamega and Busia received notifications through the official NYOTA Project messaging channel immediately after President Ruto launched the project.
“Dear beneficiary, you have successfully unlocked your start-up capital cash. Ksh22,000 has been sent to your Pochi la Biashara wallet. Ksh3,000 will be sent to your Ziidi account,” the notifications read.
Ruto orders NYOTA funds to be disbursed within two weeks
President Ruto further ordered the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development to make sure that all the 110,00 successful applicants receive the first disbursement of Ksh25,000 within the next two weeks.
“In the next ten days, we want to have completed this program. These funds should reach every beneficiary within the next ten days. I want to ask the ministry to work with our partners and make sure that within the next ten days, maximum two weeks, every young person who has been identified, 110,000 of them, each one of them should have gotten the first tranche of the resources so that we can elevate the business environment of our young people,” he said.
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At the same time, the Head of State announced that the government will cover refunds for the NYOTA Project, adding that the initiative, which is financed by the World Bank, is designed to empower young people in business and that beneficiaries will not be required to repay the money to the government.
Ruto reiterated that the money is meant solely for the beneficiaries and is intended to uplift their businesses. He further urged those who will receive the NYOTA funds to use them wisely, emphasizing that the money is meant to improve their livelihoods.
“I am standing before you to thank the World Bank for partnering with us in this initiative. The money we are giving out today is a loan from the World Bank, but it’s not for you to repay; the Government of Kenya will settle it later,” added Ruto.
“This money is a loan we took from the World Bank. As the government, we will repay it, but we are giving it to you to help you grow your businesses, you will not repay it. So, you must use it wisely because it is meant to help you uplift yourselves.”
Also Read: Ruto Sets Record Straight on Kenyans Refunding NYOTA Money
The NYOTA Project is a five-year which seeks to unlock the potential of Kenya’s youth by addressing unemployment, expanding income-generating opportunities, and fostering a culture of savings and entrepreneurship.
It targets 820,000 unemployed youth, aged between 18-29 years and up to 35 years for Persons with Disabilities countrywide with Form 4 level of education and below.
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