Ruto unveils Sh5b youth empowerment drive
National
By
Mike Kihaki
| Oct 06, 2025
President William Ruto has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to empowering young Kenyans through entrepreneurship, education, and skills development, pledging to create sustainable employment and innovation pathways across the country.
Speaking in Nairobi during the launch of former minister Marsden Madoka’s memoir, At the Ready, Ruto urged Members of Parliament, county governments, and administrators to rally behind youth-centered initiatives.
“As we have this ceremony, we are trying to resolve issues of the young people. I want to ask MPs, MCAs, and NGAO officers to mainstream young people for participation and rally their talents in growing our country,” he said.
The President announced the rollout of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project, a flagship programme that will support 100,000 young Kenyans with start-up grants. Each ward will benefit 70 youths, each receiving Sh50,000 to kickstart or expand businesses.
Ruto revealed that the government, in partnership with the World Bank, has raised Sh5 billion for the initiative, with funds set to be disbursed by the end of the month.
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The NYOTA programme will also target 90,000 unskilled youth by enrolling them in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, where the government will cover their stipends. A further 20,000 to 30,000 will undergo Recognition of Prior Learning to certify existing skills, particularly in the affordable housing sector.
Additionally, the government is identifying up to 700,000 youth to help them access Sh200 billion worth of public procurement opportunities reserved for young people, women, and persons with disabilities.
“Young people are not taking part because of the roadblocks. We want to prepare them and remove the barriers so that they can meaningfully participate in government procurement,” Ruto said.
He outlined four key pillars of the youth agenda—entrepreneurship, skills development, labour mobility, and digital innovation—aiming to reach at least one million young Kenyans with opportunities in housing, markets, and the digital economy.
“The limits are being pushed by our young people because of their restlessness and impatience. They are not wrong. We need to up our game. They are looking for opportunities to work, do business, and grow,” he added.
Ruto tied the youth-focused vision to Madoka’s legacy of service, saying: “As we celebrate this remarkable man, let’s take to heart the spirit of his title At the Ready. Let each one of us be ready to serve, lead, and build a better Kenya for all.”