President William Ruto has directed county governments to waive business permit fees for beneficiaries of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme for two years.
Speaking on Friday, July 10, during the disbursement of the second tranche of NYOTA funds at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, Ruto said the move aimed at easing the cost of doing business for young entrepreneurs and accelerating the growth of youth-owned enterprises.
He directed the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC), working with county governments, to develop and implement the two-year business permit waiver for all NYOTA beneficiaries.
“I therefore direct the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council, working together with the county governments, to develop and implement a two-year business permit waiver for all NYOTA beneficiaries,” he said.
According to the Head of State, the waiver is intended to reduce the regulatory burden on start-ups and allow new enterprises sufficient time to become established before taking on the full cost of compliance.
Ruto said the achievements recorded by beneficiaries who had received modest government support underscored the need for policies that encourage rather than hinder business growth.
“Having seen what these young entrepreneurs have achieved with modest support, the government of Kenya now has a responsibility to remove the barriers that still stand in their way. Success should never be constrained by unnecessary bureaucracy,” he added.
To further strengthen the programme, the President directed the Ministry of Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development to establish a national NYOTA identification mechanism for all beneficiaries.
The unique identification system will enable participants to seamlessly access government programmes, incentives and other opportunities designed to support enterprise development and expansion.
In addition, Ruto instructed government-backed financial institutions, including the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Uwezo Fund, Women Enterprise Fund and Kenya Industrial Estates, to develop dedicated financial products tailored specifically for NYOTA beneficiaries.
He said the initial grant provided through the programme should serve as a stepping stone for continued business growth while encouraging beneficiaries to seek additional financial opportunities.
The NYOTA programme, jointly funded by the Government of Kenya and the World Bank, is one of the country’s flagship youth empowerment initiatives aimed at supporting young people to start and expand businesses while improving access to employment opportunities.
Besides providing seed capital, the programme equips beneficiaries with business development and management skills to improve the sustainability of their enterprises.
Under the latest phase, the government is injecting Sh3 billion into the programme, with each beneficiary receiving Sh25,000.
The payment follows an earlier disbursement of the same amount, bringing the total support allocated to each participant to Sh50,000.
Only beneficiaries who successfully completed the mandatory business development training qualified for the second tranche of funding, which the government says is intended to strengthen the long-term viability of youth-led enterprises.
Also Read: What is NYOTA program? Eligibility and how to apply for Sh50K gov’t grant
