The government has announced plans to waive business licenses and permit fees for NYOTA Fund beneficiaries in a move aimed at supporting youth-led enterprises.
Speaking on Thursday, April 9, MSMEs Development Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni said the initiative will be implemented in collaboration with county governments.
According to the PS, the initiative is expected to benefit young entrepreneurs who have undergone structured mentorship and business support programs.
"On the question of licenses, it is true that all over the country, the county governments promised to give these young people a waiver in the respective jurisdiction," she said.
Mang’eni said the government is now moving to streamline the process by sharing verified data of beneficiaries with devolved units to ensure that only eligible traders benefit from the waivers.
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"Our teams from Nairobi will be sharing the data of our beneficiaries with counties, especially those that have attended the mentorship period, because it shows that they have already launched their business," she added.
This comes days after the government extended the NYOTA Project Business Support mentorship program to allow more beneficiaries to participate.
In a statement on Tuesday, March 31, MSMEs Development Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni said the extension moves the deadline from March 31 to April 8.
She explained that the decision was informed by the need to accommodate remaining participants.
"The NYOTA Project Business Support Component was scheduled to end today, 31st March 2026. We have, however, extended the deadline to Wednesday, 8th April 2026 to give the remaining 6% of the beneficiaries who are yet to turn up an opportunity for mentorship," she said.
Mang’eni highlighted the importance of mentorship in the overall program, noting that it is a requirement before proceeding to the next stage.
"The mentorship is a mandatory requirement for the 2nd business skills classroom training. Beneficiaries who have not engaged with their mentors are urged to contact their constituency NYOTA Project coordinators immediately," she added.
Mang’eni also outlined the next phase of the program, which will follow immediately after the mentorship period concludes.
"The conclusion of the mentorship program will be followed by the 2nd mandatory business skills classroom training scheduled to commence on 15th April 2026 in all constituencies across the country," she explained.
Mang’eni further detailed the financial support beneficiaries are set to receive after completing the training.
"Upon completion of the business skills classroom training, the beneficiaries will receive their 2nd tranche of the NYOTA Business Support startup capital of Ksh25,000 (with Ksh3,000 being savings under the Haba Haba scheme by NSSF), bringing the total disbursement to Ksh50,000 per beneficiary as per project design," she outlined.
Mang’eni added that the government has already planned timelines for the disbursement of the second tranche.
"The disbursement of the 2nd tranche of the business start-up capital is earmarked to take place before the end of April 2026, after the completion of the 2nd business skills classroom training, paving the way for the 2nd mentorship period that will introduce the beneficiaries to the MSME ecosystem for enhanced business support," she added.
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