Hustler nation: Youths carve own paths to beat lack of jobs

A street photography set up in Nairobi/ FILE

When George Ogutu graduated from university with a degree in actuarial science on December 16, 2016, the day felt like an ending and a beginning all at once.

The campus, once buzzing with lectures and late-night study sessions, now echoed with the sounds of suitcases rolling across concrete and heartfelt goodbyes of the 5,611 graduands.

Four years of deadlines, friendships, and self-discovery were packed into that single sheet of paper—and now, the world was suddenly wide open. It was exhilarating. It was terrifying. And it was his to shape.

The new graduate was equipped with advanced knowledge and skills in mathematical and statistical modeling to analyse and manage financial risks and he hoped to fit in the job market.

Ogutu was on the edge of adulthood with a degree in hand—but no job to show for it. The excitement of graduation quickly gave way to rejection emails, unanswered applications and the quiet pressure of comparison.

A friend would later introduce him to academic writing, where thousands of Kenyan graduates were helping students abroad complete assignments at a fee, a gig that saw him make at least Sh40,000 per month.

“I had no choice. I tried applying for jobs in different companies but never got employed. Academic writing was a big thing among my peers in the Roysambu neighbourhood, so I settled on that. Since then, I have never looked for a job despite the trade having gone down over the years. I survive,” he told the Star.

Stephen Chacha, on the other hand, settled on farming in the village where he grows tobacco, making up to Sh76,000 per season from a small ancestral land.

BAT Kenya reports that over 98 per cent of contracted farmers also grew alternative crops last year, including maize and avocados, making extra money.

The company partners with about 1,800 contracted farmers in the counties of Bungoma, Busia, Migori, Meru and Homa Bay.

It generates direct and indirect employment opportunities for more than 80,000 Kenyans though tobacco farming,  processing, cigarette manufacturing, tobacco product distribution, urban and rural retailing, wholesale trade, transport, logistics and domestic procurement.

Back in the capital, Nairobi, 'Kimani' has joined hundreds of youths in street photography as millions of Kenyan youth carve their own paths mainly in the gig economy, leveraging digital platforms and their skills to generate income.

They are involved in various sectors including online freelancing, digital marketing, content creation, and providing various services like food delivery, living a true hustler life in the wake of limited formal employment opportunities as the government struggles to create jobs.

The youth have also ventured into the jua kali sector and digital businesses as the informal sector remains the biggest employer. 

According to the Economic Survey 2025, the economy created 782,300 new jobs in 2024, with 703,700 in the informal sector.

Asking someone, “What do you do?” is no longer a simple question. The answer often involves a list: a 9-to-5 job, a weekend farming venture, an Instagram boutique and maybe a freelance gig on the side.

Kenya’s hustle culture is a dynamic, often exhausting but undeniably resilient ecosystem where side gigs are no longer optional but essential for survival and growth.

From digital freelancing to jua kali artisanship, Kenyans are stitching together multiple income streams to navigate economic pressures.

The tech-savvy youth are turning to online platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Ajira for freelance work, while others monetise social media through affiliate marketing, YouTube content, and Instagram shops.

“Huwa napitia apa kwa hii kinyozi nikitoka kwa muhindi hapa Inda, at least naeza angukia ka soo moja ya supper kabla niende kwa nyumba mabaadaye” [I usually pass by this barbershop every evening when I am back from my hustles at industrial area, I can at least make an additional Sh100 for supper], says Daudi Nyamai.

The National Council for Population and Development data indicates the youth form about 70 per cent of the country’s population and have the highest unemployment rate of 67 per cent. The youth in Kenya are defined as those aged 18-34 years.

The informal sector is often referred as the heartbeat of grassroots enterprise and has long served as a buffer for millions seeking livelihoods in the absence of sufficient formal jobs.

“But the dominance of informality, unregulated, low-paying and devoid of social protections is also a sign of systemic economic vulnerability. It reflects not just the ingenuity of Kenyans, but also the failure of our systems to offer secure and meaningful employment,” Federation of Kenya Employers executive director and CEO, Jacqueline Mugo, told the Star.

The majority of young people entering the workforce continue to find themselves in informal and unstable jobs.

Mugo says this structural imbalance has long-term implications, where informality undermines tax revenue, restricts access to credit and training and perpetuates working poverty.

It also hinders the enforcement of labour standards and expansion of social protection, both essential for a fair and resilient economy.

“What Kenya needs is a deliberate, multi-sectoral strategy to address this imbalance. We must accelerate formalisation efforts by making it easier and more attractive for small businesses to register and comply with labour and tax regulations,” she said.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions must also be aligned with industry needs to equip workers with relevant, market-driven skills.

Inadequate formal employment has left GenZs in Kenya and Africa dependent on digital jobs, a new survey indicates, with a few going into entrepreneurship.

According to a report by career development and recruitment solutions company BrighterMonday Kenya, the country’s universities, colleges and other training institutions are churning out up to two million individuals into the job market against an average 800,000 jobs created, mainly in the private sector with low opportunities within government.

This is on the back of low earnings for those that have managed to secure employment, amid concerns of skills mismatch.

Skills mismatch has been blamed for fuelling continued unemployment in Kenya despite a well-educated young population, even as the economy creates lesser jobs than the market demand amid a digital talent surge that is shaping the country’s workspace.

According to experts in career development, recruitment and human resource, most youth lack the right skills sought by employers, leading to low absorption with just 10 per cent of the workforce in formal employment.  

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics puts the number of Kenyans without jobs at 2.97 million amid reduced hiring and repressed earnings. More than half of the unemployed are between the age of 20-29 years old.

“There is a clear gap between what we are preparing the youth for versus what the market is demanding. And so, there needs to be very intentional conversations and thoughts around what we need to do to bridge that gap,” BrighterMonday acting managing director Sarah Ndegwa said.

Kenya's population is projected to reach 63.9 million, with 22.3 million aged 15-34, which is expected to intensify the youth unemployment challenge.

Doris Chelagat, talent strategist and founder of Qazi Works, says that the country’s education system must be able to build the right skills that meet the market demand.

“Employers have open jobs but there is no link. We are not marrying and it is because the gaps are just consistent; the pace is so fast that it is almost impossible for the education system to adjust that quickly,” she said.

Meanwhile, the world of work is undergoing a seismic shift driven by the growth of the digital economy, automation and artificial intelligence. Kenya is at the heart of this transformation, experts say.

“The pace at which technology is taking over a lot of the roles that we traditionally know of is so fast that the education system, whether that is university or whatever we are churning out through colleges, is not preparing future ready employees. That is why the gap between recruitment and performance is widening. We must address this,” said Victor Komu, HR director at GradaWorld Security-Africa.

As part of addressing the high unemployment, the government has unveiled the Climate WorX programme, a social job creation scheme targeting over 110,000 youth to engage in environmental restoration, slum clean-ups and infrastructure development across all 47 counties.

“Through Climate WorX, we are giving young people income, dignity and purpose,” Treasury CS John Mbadi said when he presented the Sh4.2 trillion spending plan for the 2025-26 financial year, vowing to put Kenyans at the heart of fiscal policy and stimulate sustainable economic recovery through job creation, affordable healthcare, housing and food security.

The CS committed Sh12.7 billion to the digital superhighway and creative economy, including the development of digital hubs, the Konza Technopolis and digitisation of government services.

The digital and gig economy is seen as a key employment creation area and the government wants to create an enabling environment for the youth to gain.

The gig economy is experiencing significant growth, with projections estimating a value of $345 million (Sh44.5 billion) this year, according to global African firm–Genesis Analytics.

This growth is driven by increased access to digital platforms and a large pool of young, digitally-savvy individuals seeking flexible work arrangements. 

While the gig economy offers opportunities for income generation and economic participation, particularly for youth and women, it also presents challenges related to job security, social protection, and fair labour practices.

Meanwhile, the government has been urged to support MSMEs which are considered as the engine of job creation.

“Support must go beyond token funding to include mentorship, innovation support and access to markets. Employment growth should not only be about numbers; it should be about the quality and dignity of work. To harness its demographic dividend and achieve inclusive growth, Kenya must focus on transforming its labour market, not just expanding employment,” Mugo said.

“As the country moves forward, tackling informality and strengthening the formal sector must remain a top priority in Kenya’s labour market policy agenda. Until we do, the promise of decent work for all will just remain a promise.”