What Should Beneficiaries Know as NYOTA Training Rolls Out?
Training for thousands of youth selected under the National Youth Opportunities towards Advancement Project officially begins today across 25 counties, marking a major phase in one of the country’s most extensive youth empowerment efforts. The State Department for MSMEs Development confirmed that the four-day training will take place in Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Turkana, Baringo, Laikipia, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Isiolo, Nakuru, Narok, Kajiado, Nandi, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Kericho, and Bomet.
MSMEs PS Susan Mageni noted the scale of the rollout, saying, “Tomorrow, 14th November 2025, we will begin the nationwide rollout of youth entrepreneurship training across 25 counties, covering 151 constituencies and 754 wards. This marks one of the most extensive youth empowerment efforts under the NYOTA Project.” Youth who received official SMS invitations to Business Development Services sessions are the only individuals expected to attend, and they are required to report to the venues indicated in their messages.
The Ministry is urging young people to stay vigilant as scammers take advantage of the programme’s popularity. Fraudulent mobile apps, fake M-PESA notifications, and misleading messages have surfaced in recent weeks. On November 12, NYOTA issued a firm warning stating, “NYOTA Project has no funds app. The information being circulated about the fund app is fake. Youth, let’s stay alert so that we don’t fall victim to fraudsters.”
Why Are Fake M-PESA Messages Increasing During the NYOTA Rollout?
The Micro and Small Enterprises Authority reported that complaints have been rising from several counties. On October 27, the agency cautioned the public, saying, “We have received reports of fraudulent M-Pesa messages claiming that youth have received funds from the NYOTA Project or NYOTA Foundation and prompting recipients to send money to unknown numbers.” MSEA clarified that the programme has not sent any M-Pesa-linked payments, adding, “NYOTA has not sent any M-Pesa-related payments. All official SMS communication to youth will be sent only from ‘Nyota Ke’ and through the project’s verified social media pages.”
Kenyans are being urged to ignore, avoid sharing, and report suspicious messages to reduce further exploitation. Authorities emphasise that every legitimate update about training, disbursement or verification will come through formal channels only.
Meanwhile, preparations for the nationwide rollout remain on schedule. A total of 63,231 youth across the 25 counties are expected to participate in the current phase of training. The programme, which launched on November 7 in Mumias, aims to empower more than 100,000 vulnerable youth across 1,450 wards through business training, mentorship, and phased disbursement of start-up funds.
So far, 12,155 beneficiaries in the Western cluster, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia, have already received Ksh.303.8 million through NYOTA Pochi la Biashara after completing their initial sessions. The remaining 18 counties, including Nairobi, Kiambu, Mombasa, Nyeri, Murang’a and others, will begin training next week.
President William Ruto launched the fund during an event at Mumias Sports Complex, urging youth to remain cautious as the election season approaches. He reminded them that the multi-billion-dollar programme is designed to help them start and expand their businesses, making it essential to stay alert and avoid falling prey to political or digital manipulation.
By Modester Nasimiyu