NYOTA Phase 2 Applications Open in July, MSEA Says

In Short

• Kenya’s Micro and Small Enterprises Authority held the 6th MSME Connect Dialogue in Isiolo on June 4 and 5, 2026.
• MSEA used the event to push MSME registration and explain support programmes like NYOTA and KJET.
• MSEA Director General Henry Rithaa said NYOTA phase 2 applications will open in July 2026.

What Happened

NYOTA was a key talking point as MSEA met grassroots business groups in Isiolo County during the 6th MSME Connect Dialogue. The engagement ran across June 4 and 5, starting with the Isiolo County Village Savings and Loan Associations conference at Elboran Hotel.

Village Savings and Loan Associations, often called VSLAs, are community savings groups where members pool money and lend to each other, a bit like a rotating micro bank. Organisers said groups from all ten wards attended, alongside public agencies, development partners, and private sector stakeholders.

MSEA officials briefed attendees on the authority’s mandate and encouraged groups to register with the Registrar of Micro and Small Enterprises. They also pointed participants to its exhibition booth to learn more about programmes, including NYOTA and KJET.

According to MSEA, many VSLA beneficiaries in Isiolo are women using small loans to build income through goat farming, agribusiness, and bead-making. Local micro and small enterprises also displayed products at exhibition booths, with participants urged to buy from them.

Separately, on June 8, 2026, MSEA reported that Director General Henry Rithaa announced applications for the second phase of the NYOTA project will open in July 2026. He added that Component 2 of the programme has already reached 122,000 youth nationwide, averaging 84 beneficiaries per ward.

Why It Matters

For founders and operators, the practical takeaway is that NYOTA’s next intake is close, and MSEA is actively recruiting through county-level forums. If phase 2 follows the same pattern, access to structured support could hinge on basics like registration status and clear group records.

The Isiolo event also shows how Kenya’s MSME agenda is being delivered through partnerships, blending public agencies, NGOs, and local government. For small businesses outside major cities, these dialogues can be one of the few direct routes to financing information, market access links, and capacity building support.