The Office of the Government Spokesperson has warned Kenyans applying for the NYOTA Project, amid rising concerns over fraudulent online pages targeting youth seeking to benefit from the initiative. 

In a statement released on Monday, August 1, the office emphasized that all updates regarding the NYOTA Project, including Business Support, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and On-the-Job Experience, would only be communicated through official platforms.

“ALERT: NYOTA Project Applicants Beware! All updates on business support, RPL, and on-the-job Experience will only be shared via the official NYOTA website & verified social media pages,” the spokesperson’s office stated.

The warning comes amid an influx of applications to the government-backed program, which will offer a KSh6,000 monthly stipend to selected participants.

As interest in the project grows, so have incidents of fake online pages posing as official communication channels, targeting unsuspecting applicants.

In its advisory, the NYOTA Project confirmed the rise in fraudulent activity. It stressed that all information related to the program would be distributed only through its official website and verified social media pages.

The project clarified that applicants are not required to pay any fees for services under the program.

The NYOTA team assured us that updates on application status and next steps would be shared directly with applicants using the phone numbers submitted during the application process.

Additionally, public announcements will be made through the project’s formal communication channels.

Applicants were urged to remain vigilant and avoid sharing personal information with unofficial platforms.

“We encourage youth to visit the project office or their nearest sub-county youth office for any information relating to the Project as well as reach out to us through the toll-free line 0800222221 and our official social media pages,” the notice from NYOTA advised.