President William Ruto has set a program to cover 190,000 young Kenyans through savings schemes and startup grants.

Speaking on Tuesday, August 2025, during International Youth Day celebrations in Kakamega County, Ruto said the government will help these beneficiaries join the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to build financial discipline and secure their future.

He explained that about 110,000 young entrepreneurs, roughly 70 from every ward in the country, will each receive Ksh50,000 in startup capital. The funding aims to boost youth-led businesses and drive economic growth from the grassroots up.

“I am pleased to report that the first phase of 54,000 young people will receive their Ksh50,000 startup capital next month. This will pave the way for their skills training to commence in the same month,” President Ruto announced.

The president stressed that this initiative forms part of the broader Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation program, a Ksh20 billion plan aimed at supporting 42,000 enterprises within 600 business clusters nationwide. The program will offer funding and infrastructure to empower youth-owned enterprise to expand, create sustainable jobs, and expand Kenya’s economic base.

By combining startup grants with skills training and promoting savings through the NSSF, Ruto noted that the government aims to nurture a generation of young entrepreneurs who embrace financial responsibility and long-term business growth.

“For the first time in the history of Kenya, we are implementing bold, strategic, intentional, and multi-pronged initiatives to create jobs for our young people, Kenya’s greatest asset,” Ruto said.

He added, “Through business support and mentorship, including financial literacy training, affordable credit and grants, and government procurement opportunities reserved for the youth, we are nurturing successful youth-run businesses.”