As excitement builds for the second round of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme, the government has issued a stern warning to young Kenyans about fraudulent apps targeting hopeful beneficiaries.
In a notice released on Wednesday, November 12, NYOTA officials cautioned youth against online platforms claiming to be part of the programme. These apps, the notice said, often ask for registration fees under the pretense of securing the Ksh50,000 grants.
“NYOTA PROJECT has no fund app. The information being circulated about the fund app is fake. We urge the youth to stay alert,” the statement read.
The official channels emphasized that all NYOTA communications are only circulated through verified social media accounts and authorized offices. Youth seeking accurate information are encouraged to visit a NYOTA project office, their nearest sub-county youth office, or dial *254# and follow the prompts.
Since the programme’s launch, hundreds of thousands of young Kenyans have applied for the grants. NYOTA, a five-year initiative jointly supported by the Kenyan government and the World Bank, aims to empower youth by addressing unemployment, income insecurity, and low savings.
Selected participants from each of the country’s 1,450 wards receive Ksh50,000 to kickstart small business ventures.
The programme particularly targets vulnerable youth, those with lower education levels, unemployed individuals, and persons with disabilities.
Speaking on Tuesday, November 12, President William Ruto confirmed that an additional Ksh4.4 billion would be disbursed to NYOTA beneficiaries starting next week, with training sessions set to begin this Friday.
The President also highlighted that Nairobi would contribute significantly to the second cohort, with plans to support 6,000 enterprises in the capital alone. “We will be giving them Ksh300 million to raise capital and help small entrepreneurs scale up,” he said.
The warning comes after repeated attempts by scammers to exploit the programme since its Cabinet approval in July. Youth have previously reported fraudulent offers charging fees to “increase chances” of receiving grants, a tactic authorities say is now being replicated in the form of fake apps.
As the second cohort prepares to receive their grants, officials are urging young Kenyans to remain vigilant and to rely only on official NYOTA communication channels to avoid falling victim to fraud.
