The government has announced a new intake for the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project.

The project is offering thousands of young Kenyans the chance to gain hands-on work experience, life skills, and business training in a renewed effort to tackle the country’s high youth unemployment rate.

According to the notice on MyGov, the On-the-Job Experience (OJE) component of the NYOTA Project is currently open for applications.

The intake is targeting unemployed, underemployed, or vulnerable youth aged between 18 and 29, or up to 35 for persons with disabilities.

The programme is open to individuals who have a KCSE (Form 4) certificate or lower education level from all 47 counties in Kenya.

Participants in the NYOTA initiative will benefit from:

Applications for the OJE programme are free of charge, and interested individuals can apply by dialling *254# and selecting the NYOTA Project option before the August 15, 2025, deadline.

"NYOTA Project services are free, applicants should not pay any fees. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain skills, experience, and a brighter future! Apply today," read the notice.

This rollout is part of a broader government strategy to empower youth through coordinated initiatives with development partners and non-state actors.

According to Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy, Fikirini Jacobs, the government is working to reverse alarming youth unemployment figures.

To support this, the government will disburse KSh 5 billion in funding under the NYOTA project to empower 100,000 youth with KSh 50,000 seed capital each, enabling them to start business ventures beginning in August.

The NYOTA project is being funded by the World Bank and will run for five years. Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Naivasha, PS Jacobs said more than one million applications have already been received for NYOTA funding.

Source: TUKO.co.ke