Young entrepreneurs under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme are set to benefit from a two-year business permit waiver following a directive by President William Ruto. The announcement was made on Friday during the launch of the second phase of the NYOTA programme at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi. The initiative is aimed at easing the financial burden on youth-led businesses and giving them room to grow without the immediate pressure of compliance costs.
President Ruto emphasized the need to eliminate bureaucratic barriers that hinder the growth of small businesses, particularly those run by young people. He noted that many youth entrepreneurs have demonstrated strong potential even with limited support, and it is now the government’s responsibility to create an enabling environment for their success.
As part of the directive, the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council will work closely with county governments to implement the waiver, ensuring that NYOTA beneficiaries can operate without paying for business permits for two years. In addition, the President tasked the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development with creating a national identification system for NYOTA beneficiaries. This system will help young entrepreneurs easily access government services, incentives, and enterprise support programmes.
To further strengthen the initiative, state-backed financial institutions such as the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Uwezo Fund, and Women Enterprise Fund have been instructed to develop a special NYOTA Growth Product. This financing option will support businesses that outgrow their initial grants, providing a clear pathway for expansion. President Ruto also announced the rollout of the programme’s second phase, backed by Ksh.3.06 billion. The funds will support 122,000 young entrepreneurs across the country.
Out of these, 88,934 beneficiaries who successfully utilized their initial Ksh.25,000 grants will receive an additional Ksh.25,000, bringing their total funding to Ksh.50,000. Meanwhile, 33,269 new beneficiaries will receive their first Ksh.25,000 grants to kickstart their businesses.
The President said the additional funding is expected to help youth-owned enterprises scale up operations, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the country’s economic growth. The NYOTA programme remains one of the government’s key youth empowerment initiatives, focusing on providing startup capital, skills development, and access to financing to help young people build sustainable businesses.
