Frontier Eye Desk
Wajir, Kenya.
Principal Secretary for Culture, The Arts and Heritage, Ummi Bashir, has called on the youth of Wajir County to actively participate in the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme, describing it as a gateway to self-employment and economic transformation.
Speaking during the programme’s validation exercise in Tarbaj and Wajir East constituencies, PS Bashir, who was accompanied by Tarbaj MP Hon. Hussein Abdi Bare, assured applicants of a transparent and inclusive verification process aimed at identifying 2,100 deserving beneficiaries for the government’s KSh 50,000 start-up grants.
The ongoing nationwide verification exercise, spearheaded by the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) in collaboration with the State Department for Youth Affairs, seeks to confirm the authenticity and eligibility of applicants before disbursing funds to support youth-led enterprises.
“We call on our youth to take advantage of this transformative initiative,” PS Bashir said. “I assure you that the verification process will be fair and thorough, ensuring every eligible applicant has an equal opportunity to benefit.”
In a related announcement, Principal Secretary for MSMEs Development, Hon. Susan Mangeni, revealed that the NYOTA verification deadline had been extended from Friday, October 24, to Saturday, October 25, 2025, to allow more applicants to complete the process.
Youth at the NYOTA verification exercise in Tarbaj, Wajir.
The NYOTA programme—one of the government’s flagship youth empowerment initiatives—aims to nurture entrepreneurship, promote innovation, and unlock economic potential among young people in Wajir and across the country.