NYOTA project poised to unlock massive job opportunities for youth

Amina Bakari and Esther Mulongo 

Kenya, in collaboration with the World Bank, has officially launched the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Program.

The program is a transformative initiative aimed at empowering over 200,000 youths across the country through access to employment, entrepreneurship, digital technology, and creative industry opportunities. 

The launch, held in Nairobi, was presided over by Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, the Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya, alongside the ministry’s Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Fikirini Jacobs.

It brought together youth leaders from all 47 counties, implementing partners, and stakeholders from government and the private sector. 

Speaking at the event, Mvurya said the program is a strategic milestone in the government’s efforts to harness the potential of Kenya’s youth. 

“NYOTA is not just a project; it is a national platform for the transformation of youths and an initiative that seeks to provide young people with equitable access to opportunities that will help them realize their aspirations,” he added. 

Mvurya emphasized that the application process is fully digital, accessible via mobile phones, and deliberately free from bureaucratic barriers.

“You no longer need to know anyone in the government to access youth empowerment opportunities. If you are applying for business support or recognition of prior learning, all you need is a phone, internet access, and your ID,” he said.  

He revealed that NYOTA is already making headway with applications surpassing expectations and is now moving to rollout and implementation phases.

Mvurya praised the transparency of the project’s recent logo competition, where winners were awarded after a public, inclusive selection process.  

The CS also announced that NYOTA will be fully rolled out during the International Youth Week in August, noting that by then, many applicants will have been certified to begin receiving support. 

On his part, Fikirini echoed the CS’s sentiments and urged youth to make use of the available opportunities.

"This is a call to action, we are currently accepting applications under the On-Job Experience (OJE) program through the *254# platform, hence I urge all youths to apply only for the currently open components to avoid application errors,” he advised. 

The PS emphasised that the NYOTA also targets vulnerable youths who lack formal educational qualifications, providing avenues through recognition of prior learning and national certification frameworks.  

He added that social enterprises, access to government procurement, and financial inclusion programs are embedded within NYOTA’s design to reach underserved youth.

Fikirini highlighted the government’s ongoing commitment to international job placements through the Labour Mobility Program, supported by the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF). 

"The State Department is currently facilitating 600 youths, each with up to Sh300,000, to enable them to take up job opportunities abroad and is keen on ensuring no youth is left behind due to lack of facilitation,” he stated. 

Fikirini also noted that global remittances from Kenyan youths working abroad under the program contributed over Sh5 billion to the economy last year, affirming the value of the diaspora in national development. 

To improve access to youth services, the PS announced the development of a digital Youth Opportunity Passport, consolidating all youth-targeted government programs in one platform.

He called on the National Youth Council to expedite digitization to allow for real-time updates.