Youth to take aptitude test to access the Ksh50K NYOTA grant
By Wycliffe Kipsang, October 7, 2025Youth who will be selected to benefit from the National Youth Opportunities Training (Nyota) programme must attend a four-day training and take an entrepreneurial aptitude test before they can access the Ksh50,000 grant to start income-generating activities.
According to Evans Bulut from the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), the training is crucial to ensure that the programme has an impact, saying any youth who does not attend the training or take the test will automatically disqualify him or herself from the programme.
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Speaking at the Iten KMTC hall on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, in Iten after the launch of the rollout of the programme by Treasury Principal Administrative Secretary Samson Wangusi on behalf of Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo, Bulut said that after the training, the youth will be attached to a mentor who will guide them in the field they have chosen to invest in.
“It’s sad that while the youth want the money, they don’t want to attend the training, which is key in ensuring the success of the programme,” said Bulut.
He added that beneficiaries will first get Sh25,000, which they must demonstrate their prudent use before they can access the rest of Ksh25,000, saying the government will be conducting spot checks to see how far they are faring.
“However, the government will not dictate which project one can invest in as this will be left to one’s individual discretion according to their interest,” said Bulut.
Selected youth
He called on the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), who will be involved in the youth selection, to ensure they select youth who they believe that, once funded, they can make an impact in their lives.
A total of 2,840 youth are set to benefit from the programme in Elgeyo Marakwet County, with 1,160 benefitting from the On-Job Experience component, 1,400 under the Business Support Grant and 280 under the Recognition of Prior Learning.
County Director Youth Alex Oyuga said the youth who will benefit from the programme must be aged between 18-29 years, and 35 years for those with disability will be attached to a master craftsman for six months, where the government will give them a stipend of Sh7,000 each per month.
“Each master craftsman will get six youth with form four education and below, and we are advising the youth to choose an area which is as close to home as possible to minimise the expenses,” he said.
To encourage a savings culture, Stephen Kirop from NSSF said all the youth under the programme will be registered by NSSF, where a haba na haba account will be opened for each one of them.
Speaking during the same occasion, Marakwet West MP Timothy Kipchumba called on the National Employment Authority (NEA) to rein in rogue employment agencies that were conning the youth.
Andrew Kemboi from NEA said its website had over 300,000 jobs available for youth in foreign countries and encouraged them to apply, and called on them to report any rogue agency to the police for action to be taken.
While assuring the MP’s support for the programme, Kipchumba said he was surprised that there were so many job opportunities and said they were ready to support the organisation by facilitating their visit to wananchi in the grassroots to sensitise them on the employment opportunities.