Confirmed: Over 122,000 NYOTA Beneficiaries Set to Receive Second Business Grant by June 30

By Gedion Nzyoki - 

• Thousands of young entrepreneurs under the NYOTA Project are set to benefit from the second tranche of government funding aimed at supporting youth-led businesses across the country.
• The government has addressed concerns over delays in the programme and assured beneficiaries that the next phase of support will be rolled out soon.
• More than 122,000 young people across all 1,450 wards have already benefited from training, mentorship, and business support under the initiative.

Nairobi, Kenya, June 2, 2026 — Thousands of young entrepreneurs enrolled in the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project are set to receive the second tranche of business start-up capital by the end of June, following government assurances that budgetary challenges that delayed the payments are being addressed.

Principal Secretary for the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Susan Auma Mang'eni, during a press briefing on Tuesday. Photo Credit: Christopher 

The announcement brings relief to more than 122,000 youth beneficiaries across the country who have been awaiting the release of the next phase of funding after successfully completing business development training and mentorship programmes under the initiative.

Speaking on Tuesday afternoon during a press briefing in Nairobi, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Susan Auma Mang'eni, said the second tranche of funding had experienced delays due to financial planning adjustments arising from the decision to expand the programme's reach.

"The government acknowledges the increasing inquiries and concerns from beneficiaries regarding the disbursement of the second tranche and regrets the delay, which has inadvertently been caused by the expansion of the project and the concentration of the attendant budgetary requirements within one fiscal year, necessitating budgetary enhancements," Mang'eni said.

The PS assured Kenyans that efforts are underway in collaboration with the National Treasury to ensure adequate funding is available to facilitate the release of the grants within the current financial year. 

As a result, all eligible beneficiaries are expected to receive their second-tranche payments simultaneously before June 30, 2026.

"To this extent, we wish to announce that the disbursement of the second tranche of business support start-up capital will happen by 30th June 2026, and all beneficiaries will receive the grants at the same time, unlike the first tranche disbursement, which was phased out in clusters," she said.

At the same time, the PS urged beneficiaries to remain patient as the final administrative processes are completed and cautioned the public against misinformation circulating on unofficial platforms. 

Youth participating in the programme were encouraged to rely on official communication channels for updates regarding payments and project activities.

"We wish to thank the beneficiaries for their patience and understanding as we finalize the processes involved in accommodating the budgetary adjustments," she added.

The State Department reported that 122,147 young people drawn from all 1,450 wards across the country have so far benefited from the NYOTA Project after successfully progressing through the Entrepreneurial Aptitude Test (EAT) and subsequent business development programmes.

The beneficiaries have undergone entrepreneurship training, received mentorship support, and most have already been awarded the first phase of business start-up funding.

 A portion of the grant has been retained under the NSSF Haba Haba Savings Scheme to promote a culture of saving among young entrepreneurs.

Further, assessments conducted after the initial mentorship sessions and advanced business training revealed that more than 99 per cent of grant recipients had already launched their businesses. 

The NYOTA Project, a partnership between the Government of Kenya and the World Bank, was established to tackle youth unemployment by equipping young people with entrepreneurial skills, mentorship, access to finance, and market opportunities. 

The programme specifically targets vulnerable and marginalized youth, including those living in refugee camps and host communities.

Beyond financial support, the project offers entrepreneurship training, mentorship, apprenticeship opportunities, recognition of prior learning, market linkages, savings mobilization, and access to government procurement opportunities through Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) training.