President William Ruto during the Nyota business Start-up capital disbursement event in Nakuru on January 9, 2026/PCS

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President William Ruto has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to inclusive youth empowerment, emphasising that the absence of formal academic qualifications should not prevent young people from accessing economic opportunities through the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Business Start-Up Capital programme. 

Speaking during the third disbursement of the NYOTA programme in Nakuru County on Friday, the President underscored that the initiative was deliberately designed to target young people who are often excluded from conventional empowerment programmes due to limited education opportunities or lack of certificates.

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He said the government recognised that many youths possess talent, drive and entrepreneurial potential despite not having formal academic credentials.

“The qualification of young people getting the NYOTA programme is not to have qualifications,” President Ruto said.

"We agreed that for this to be a youth-focused programme, only those aged between 19 and 29 would qualify. Secondly, anyone with a university degree or college qualification would not be eligible — the target is young people who have completed Form Four or less.”

The President explained that the programme prioritises young people who have completed secondary school and below, including those who dropped out at the primary level or did not finish Form Four.

According to him, this category of youth has for years been overlooked in policy design, yet it represents a significant portion of Kenya’s population.

“In our demography, we keep thinking about those who have completed school, those with certificates, degrees and professional knowledge,” he said.

"This time, we acknowledged that there are already many programmes tailored for the youth with qualifications. However, for this initiative, we recognised that there are also young people without those qualifications — and they too deserve government support.”

Ruto stressed that the NYOTA programme seeks to unlock economic potential at the grassroots by providing start-up capital to youth-led enterprises, regardless of educational background or social status.

He noted that many successful entrepreneurs in the country started small, without formal education, but were driven by opportunity and access to capital.

The President reiterated that the initiative is not about handouts but about empowering young people to create sustainable livelihoods.

Beneficiaries are expected to invest the funds prudently in income-generating activities that can grow into viable businesses, create jobs and contribute to local economies.

He urged the youth to take advantage of the programme and use the funds responsibly, saying the government would continue rolling out similar initiatives to address unemployment and economic exclusion.

The NYOTA programme forms part of the government’s broader youth empowerment agenda aimed at reducing poverty, stimulating entrepreneurship and fostering inclusive economic growth.