NYOTA Mentorship Programme Reaches 94% of Beneficiaries Nationwide
The government has reported significant progress in the rollout of the NYOTA nationwide mentorship programme, with 94% of beneficiaries already covered since its launch in early March 2026.
The programme, implemented under the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSME Development, is designed to support young entrepreneurs through mentorship, business training and startup capital, forming part of a three-stage enterprise development model.
According to the update, 98% of those who have undergone mentorship have already started their businesses, while the remaining 2% are in the process of launching.
The mentorship includes site visits, business coaching, peer learning and networking aimed at helping beneficiaries operationalise their enterprises.
Focus on first-time entrepreneurs
The programme is largely targeting new entrants into business:
- 65% are first-time entrepreneurs
- 19% have less than one year of experience
- 13% have between one and three years
- Only 3% have over three years’ experience
This indicates a strong focus on early-stage enterprise development.
The gender distribution among beneficiaries is nearly balanced, with 51% female and 49% male, pointing to broad-based inclusion in the programme.
Agriculture and retail dominate sectors
Most businesses are concentrated in:
- Agriculture and related value chains – 41%
- Wholesale and retail – 26%
- Fashion and design – 11%
- Beauty and cosmetics – 7%
Other sectors include ICT, manufacturing, tourism and logistics.
Deadline extended for remaining beneficiaries
The mentorship programme, initially scheduled to end on March 31, has been extended to April 8, 2026 to accommodate the remaining participants who have not yet reported.
Officials noted that mentorship is mandatory ahead of the next phase of classroom-based business training.
Next phase: training and second funding tranche
The second phase of the programme – business skills classroom training – is set to begin on April 15, 2026 across all constituencies.
Upon completion, beneficiaries will receive a second tranche of KSh 25,000, bringing total support to KSh 50,000 per beneficiary under the programme design.
Expanded reach and support system
The programme has also engaged over 5,500 mentors and 3,600 trainers to support beneficiaries nationwide, including participants from refugee-hosting regions such as Dadaab and Kakuma.
The second disbursement is expected before the end of April, after completion of training, as the programme transitions into its next mentorship phase focused on deeper integration into the MSME ecosystem.