Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development Wycliffe Oparanya and his Principal Secretary Susan Mangeni during a press briefing at the NSSF buildings in Nairobi.
By Aoma Keziah,
The Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development has announced that the nationwide physical verification for the NYOTA Project will take place tomorrow, Friday, October 24, across all constituency headquarters in the country.
Speaking during a media briefing in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya and Principal Secretary Susan Mangeni said the exercise is an essential step in identifying genuine youth applicants who will benefit from the government’s youth empowerment programme.
The National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) initiative, supported by the World Bank, is a five-year project aimed at equipping vulnerable young people with skills, business capital, and opportunities for employment. The project seeks to transform the lives of over 820,000 youth across all 47 counties by helping them start and grow small businesses.
According to CS Oparanya, the physical verification will confirm that only qualified applicants are selected to benefit.
“This process is meant to ensure that those who are truly in need and meet the set criteria are the ones who proceed to the next phase,” he said.
The verification will be coordinated from all 290 constituency headquarters, with support from county and national officials, including Principal Secretaries, elected leaders, and administrative officers. Applicants are expected to present their National Identity Cards, while persons with disabilities should also carry their disability identification cards for confirmation.
PS Mangeni explained that the validation exercise will also check key details such as residence, education, employment status, and gender distribution.
“It’s a transparent process that will help us know who is ready and available to take part fully in the NYOTA programme,” she said.
Under the Business Support Component, 100,000 youth entrepreneurs will be trained, mentored, and provided with start-up grants of KSh 50,000 each to boost their businesses. The project also includes training on financial literacy and savings to promote long-term sustainability.
Applicants who have not yet completed the Entrepreneurship Aptitude Test (EAT) will be allowed to take it on-site during the verification. The test is free and can be accessed by sending the word NYOTA to 40270, after which participants receive a set of 19 questions. The deadline for completing the test is Friday, October 24, at noon.
Once the verification ends, the NYOTA team will review the results and EAT reports before releasing the list of successful beneficiaries. Training and induction sessions will follow soon after to prepare the selected youth for the next phase of business development.
The NYOTA project is anchored on four key pillars — Recognition of Prior Learning, On-Job Experience, Business Support, and Digital Training on access to government procurement opportunities. Through these pillars, the programme aims to build a generation of skilled, innovative, and self-reliant young Kenyans.
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About the Author
The Mt Kenya Times 
I believe the NYOTA Project’s physical verification is a smart move to ensure transparency and accountability. It will help confirm that only genuine, eligible youth benefit from the programme. This step strengthens public trust and ensures government resources reach those who truly need empowerment.
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Thank you