The second phase of the government's NYOTA Business Support Programme will begin on Friday, July 10, with 122,000 young Kenyans set to receive fresh funding under the initiative.
President William Ruto announced the rollout on Monday, July 6, after receiving a progress update at State House on the programme, which is being implemented through the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
According to the President, the second round of payments will be launched simultaneously across the country from 18 venues, bringing together beneficiaries drawn from all 47 counties.
Ruto also revealed that the government has set aside Ksh3 billion for the latest disbursement, with every beneficiary expected to receive Ksh25,000.
“With the launch of the Ksh3 billion second tranche of the business support component for the 122,000 beneficiaries, each beneficiary will receive Ksh25,000.
"In addition to a similar amount they had received earlier in the year, each beneficiary will have received a total of Ksh50,000,” the President stated.
The Head of State further noted that all beneficiaries had successfully completed the compulsory entrepreneurship training required before receiving the second payment.
“Already, the beneficiaries have undergone a business development skills programme,” Ruto added.
The latest announcement provides clarity on the long-awaited release of funds after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the programme's implementation.
The NYOTA Business Support Programme, which is fully financed by the World Bank, had come under scrutiny after delays in releasing the second tranche prompted concerns from the lender.
Last month, officials from the World Bank met government representatives to review the programme's implementation, address challenges affecting the rollout—particularly financing—and ensure the initiative remained on course to achieve its objectives.
The delay had also sparked concerns among thousands of beneficiaries who had completed the required training and were awaiting the promised funds to expand their businesses.
Earlier, Cooperatives Principal Secretary (PS) Susan Mang'eni explained that the delay was caused by budgetary constraints, noting that implementation of the project had been compressed into a single financial year, placing significant pressure on available resources.
Mang'eni had initially assured beneficiaries that the money would be released by June 30. However, the payments failed to materialise as scheduled, with the rollout now expected to begin 10 days after the promised deadline.
The confirmation of the July 10 disbursement is expected to ease pressure on the government, which had faced growing questions over the delayed release of the funds despite repeated assurances.
The second phase will also introduce a different rollout strategy from the initial disbursement. Unlike the first phase, which was conducted in stages, the government will launch the latest tranche simultaneously at 18 venues across the country.
Officials say the nationwide launch is intended to speed up the distribution process while ensuring beneficiaries from all 47 counties receive the funding at the same time, marking a significant milestone in the implementation of the youth-focused business support programme.
