Kihika Pledges Financial Support For NYOTA Youth Start-Ups

By Suleiman Mbatiah

The County Government of Nakuru has pledged to provide affordable financing and mentorship support to young entrepreneurs benefiting from the second phase of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme.

In the first phase, the county waived all business license and permit fees for the beneficiaries in their first year of operation to ease the cost of doing business, a move that allowed the youths set up income-generating ventures without regulatory costs, helping them maximize profits in the early stages.

Deputy Governor David Kones, who represented Governor Susan Kihika at the NYOTA disbursement launch at the Nakuru ASK Showground, said the county had operationalized financing programmes to help youth-owned enterprises survive beyond the initial government grant.

Kones said beneficiaries would be linked to the Nakuru County Enterprise Fund and the Cooperative Revolving Development Fund, which operate under the county’s Sh100 million Wezesha Biashara programme.

“We will provide affordable financing for the entrepreneurs, youth, cooperatives and women,” Kones said while highlighting that the phase one beneficiaries had established and funded various profit-making ventures.

In addition to waiving business permits and licenses, Governor Kihika in January said her administration would allocate space to those who would want to operate from the Ziwani Wholesale Market in Bondeni, once the project is complete

Unlike the NYOTA start-up capital, which is issued as a grant, the county funds provide repayable loans. Money recovered from borrowers is returned to the respective funds and issued to other eligible enterprises, allowing the financing pool to revolve continuously.

The Sh100 million Wezesha programme is divided equally between the County Enterprise Fund and the Cooperative Revolving Development Fund. The enterprise facility offers loans of between Sh50,000 and Sh200,000 at an annual interest rate of eight per cent, while registered cooperatives may borrow between Sh200,000 and Sh5 million at six per cent annually.

County records show that Sh50.4 million had been disbursed to 15 cooperative societies by the 2025/26 financial year, with another Sh6 million under processing. A further Sh7.85 million had been advanced to 423 micro, small and medium enterprises and 26 groups.

Enterprise Fund applicants operating through registered groups are required to provide updated registration certificates, bank statements and group bylaws. Groups must also have been active for at least one year before applying.

Cooperatives seeking financing must submit registration certificates, audited accounts, annual general meeting minutes, evidence of borrowing authority, business proposals and bank statements. The funds are administered in partnership with KCB Bank, which also supports training, incubation and mentorship.

The county’s intervention is expected to provide a financing pathway for NYOTA beneficiaries requiring additional capital after establishing or expanding their businesses using the national government grant.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki presided over the Nakuru event as the government released the latest Sh25,000 allocation to about 122,000 beneficiaries across the country, committing approximately Sh3 billion to youth-owned businesses.

“This is the fairest government programme ever: well balanced, reaching the grassroots and targeting young people who might otherwise have been left behind because many other programmes target those with degrees and diplomas,” Kindiki said,” Kindiki said.

The Sh22,000 business portion is transferred to beneficiaries’ registered mobile accounts, while Sh3,000 is deposited into the National Social Security Fund’s Haba Haba savings scheme. Continuing beneficiaries have now received the full Sh50,000 grant in two Sh25,000 instalments.

NYOTA does not provide loans and beneficiaries must complete business training before receiving the start-up capital, after which they undergo structured coaching and mentorship intended to improve record-keeping, financial management and enterprise sustainability.

Nakuru hosted 8,900 beneficiaries drawn from Nakuru, Baringo and Nyandarua counties. Nakuru accounted for 4,100 beneficiaries, the highest number among the three counties, with at least 70 young people selected from each ward.

“We have ensured that everyone is included—all genders, persons with disabilities, and beneficiaries from all 47 counties,” Kindiki said, adding that the government was grateful that to provide some support to young people who otherwise would never have received such assistance.

Of the Nakuru beneficiaries, 3,000 were receiving their second instalment after participating in the first phase, while 1,100 newly admitted participants were receiving their first allocation.

Baringo had about 2,900 beneficiaries, including approximately 1,900 continuing participants and 1,000 first-time recipients. Nyandarua had about 1,900 beneficiaries, comprising roughly 1,500 continuing participants and 400 new entrants.

Kindiki said the programme had applied a 50-50 gender distribution, with half of the opportunities reserved for women. Five per cent of the beneficiaries were persons with disabilities, while participants were selected from all 47 counties.

The programme primarily targets unemployed, underemployed or low-income young people aged between 18 and 29 who have Form Four education or below. The eligibility age for persons with disabilities extends to 35.

Besides business financing, NYOTA provides on-the-job experience, apprenticeship placements, recognition and certification of skills acquired outside formal education, savings support, digital training and assistance in accessing public procurement opportunities.

The State Department for MSME Development has also proposed linking successful NYOTA enterprises to additional financing through government-backed programmes once their businesses require more capital.