President William Ruto has launched the second phase of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme's business support component, releasing more than Sh3 billion to over 122,000 young entrepreneurs in a move aimed at accelerating youth-led businesses and tackling unemployment across the country.

Under the latest disbursement, each beneficiary received Sh25,000, bringing the total amount disbursed to every participant under the programme to Sh50,000. The funds are intended to help young people start new businesses or expand existing enterprises.

Speaking during the launch, President Ruto described the initiative as one of the largest government investments in youth entrepreneurship, saying the programme is already transforming lives by giving young Kenyans the capital needed to build sustainable businesses.

"With the disbursement of the second tranche, each beneficiary will have received a total of Sh50,000 to boost or start a business, making NYOTA one of Kenya's largest investments in youth enterprise," the President said.

Ruto said thousands of small businesses across the country have already benefited from the programme, citing success stories from beneficiaries who have used the funds to launch businesses, increase stock, purchase equipment and create employment within their communities.

"These are clear testaments of what this programme can do, proving wrong those who dismissed Sh25,000 or Sh50,000 as too small to do anything," he said.

The President noted that while the grants may appear modest, they have enabled many young entrepreneurs to take the first critical step toward financial independence and business growth.

To strengthen the programme beyond financial support, Ruto announced a series of new measures aimed at helping beneficiaries access government services, additional financing and a more favourable business environment.

He directed the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development to establish a national NYOTA identification mechanism that will allow beneficiaries to access government incentives and support services more efficiently.

In addition, the President instructed key government financing institutions—including the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Uwezo Fund, Women Enterprise Fund and Kenya Industrial Estates—to develop a dedicated NYOTA Growth Product that will provide additional financing to businesses that demonstrate growth potential after receiving the initial grants.

The move is expected to create a pathway for successful beneficiaries to scale up their enterprises through affordable government-backed financing.

Ruto also appealed to county governments to ease the financial burden on emerging entrepreneurs by waiving business permit fees during the critical early stages of their enterprises.

He urged the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) and all 47 county governments to consider granting NYOTA beneficiaries a two-year waiver on business permit fees, arguing that reducing operating costs would increase the survival rate of new businesses.

The NYOTA programme targets young Kenyans by providing business capital alongside other interventions, including Business Development Support, On-the-Job Experience (OJE), Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO). The government plans to reach one million young people through the initiative.

Officials say the programme is designed not only to provide seed capital but also to equip youth with the skills, financing and market access needed to build sustainable enterprises and create employment opportunities.

The latest Sh3 billion disbursement comes as the government intensifies efforts to address youth unemployment by investing in entrepreneurship, strengthening the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector and expanding economic opportunities at the grassroots.

For thousands of beneficiaries across Kenya, the additional funding represents more than a financial grant—it offers renewed confidence, a chance to grow their businesses and an opportunity to transform their livelihoods while contributing to local economic development.