NYOTA Mentorship Programme Reaches 94% Uptake as Government Extends Deadline
(Left-Right): Nyota Secretary,PS MSME’s Susan Mang’eni and the secretary general and the Project Manager during a press briefing held at MSME’s Office.
The government has reported significant progress in the implementation of the NYOTA Project’s nationwide mentorship programme, with 94 per cent of beneficiaries already trained following the disbursement of start-up capital.
Speaking during a press briefing, Principal Secretary for MSMEs Susan Mang’eni said the mentorship initiative, launched on March 4, 2026, has been rolled out across all 1,450 wards to equip young entrepreneurs with skills to start and grow businesses.
The programme, which includes site visits, business coaching, peer learning and networking, forms part of a three-pronged enterprise development model combining training, funding and mentorship.
According to the PS, 98% of beneficiaries who received the first tranche of funding have already started businesses, while the remaining two per cent are being supported to operationalise their ventures.
Data from the programme shows that the majority of participants are new entrepreneurs, with 65 % having no prior business experience. Women account for 51 % of beneficiaries, reflecting near gender parity.
The agriculture, livestock, forestry and fisheries sector leads in uptake at 41 per cent, followed by wholesale and retail (26 per cent), fashion and design (11 per cent) and beauty and cosmetics (7 per cent), highlighting diverse enterprise engagement across sectors.
Mang’eni announced that the mentorship programme deadline has been extended to April 8, 2026, to allow the remaining 6% of beneficiaries to participate. She noted that completion of mentorship is mandatory for progression to the next phase of business classroom training set to begin on April 15 across all constituencies.
Upon completion of the training, beneficiaries will receive a second tranche of Sh25,000 in start-up capital, including a Sh3,000 savings component under the Haba Haba scheme, bringing total support to Sh50,000 per participant. The government targets full disbursement by the end of April.
The PS clarified that the funds issued under the NYOTA programme are grants, not loans, aimed at empowering youth to establish sustainable businesses and create employment. She added that over 120,000 beneficiaries have already received the initial funding, amounting to more than Sh3 billion injected into the economy.
The programme also includes 10,000 beneficiaries from Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps and host communities, with training scheduled for April and May. Additionally, over 3,600 trainers and 5,500 mentors largely drawn from diploma and university graduates have been engaged, expanding opportunities for skilled youth within the initiative.
Mang’eni emphasized that the programme is designed to drive economic growth by enabling young people to create jobs and expand the tax base through entrepreneurship.
