Massive NYS Expansion to Empower Thousands of Young Kenyans

President William Ruto inspects a guard of honour mounted by National Youth Service (NYS) recruits during their pass-out parade in Gilgil, Nakuru County.

President William Ruto has unveiled an ambitious plan to expand the National Youth Service (NYS) to enroll at least 100,000 young people within the next three years, a major scale-up from the current annual intake of about 18,000.

Speaking during the NYS pass-out parade in Gilgil, Nakuru County, on Thursday, Ruto said the move is part of his administration’s strategy to combat unemployment while equipping young Kenyans with skills and opportunities for self-reliance.

“Our goal is to make NYS a center of excellence that not only trains but also empowers our youth to participate in building the nation and accessing opportunities both locally and abroad,” the President said.

The Head of State revealed that NYS will now go beyond paramilitary training to focus on productive enterprises such as agriculture, engineering, construction, textiles, and hospitality. The institution is already producing essential goods like maize meal and cooking oil, with plans to expand to other industries while offering nationally and internationally recognized qualifications. He also noted that the government will set up centres of excellence, including a Leather Technology Institute in collaboration with the International Labour Organization.

To enhance transparency and access to opportunities, NYS will roll out a Jobs Portal and an Equipment Hiring Platform. Youths will also be engaged in major national projects, with the ClimateWorx Mtaani initiative expanding from 45,000 to 113,000 young people, and participation in the Affordable Housing Programme doubling from 320,000 to 640,000. In addition, the Kandarasi Mtaani project will create 200,000 jobs in housing and market infrastructure, such as boundary walls, access roads, and drainage systems.

The President also highlighted progress in securing overseas jobs for Kenyan youth, noting that more than 400,000 Kenyans have secured employment in Canada, Germany, and Gulf States in the past two years. In the last year alone, 2,300 youths were supported with KSh 244 million to cover air tickets, visas, settlement costs, training, and certification. He said the government is negotiating similar arrangements to expand opportunities abroad.

Under the newly launched NYOTA (National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement) Programme, 100,000 youths across Kenya’s wards will each receive KSh 50,000 as start-up capital. The first cohort of 54,000 beneficiaries will begin training and receive the funds from September this year.

The government will also expand and upgrade NYS facilities, including hostels, to match the standards of public tertiary institutions. Furthermore, Ruto announced that 4,000 NYS graduates will be absorbed into the National Police Service during the upcoming recruitment of 10,000 officers.

The President affirmed that these initiatives are designed to directly tackle the unemployment crisis while preparing the youth to contribute meaningfully to Kenya’s economic growth. 

“This is the generation that will build the future of our nation. We are ensuring they are equipped with the skills, capital, and opportunities they need to succeed,” he said.

The massive expansion of NYS marks one of the boldest youth empowerment programs under the Kenya Kwanza administration, with its success hinging on effective implementation and sustained funding.
Reporting by: Babz Abdul Raheem N.
Date: August 28, 2025