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The government has extended the deadline for the nationwide mentorship programme under the Nyota Project to April 8 to give the remaining beneficiaries a chance to complete the mandatory training required for the next stage of business support.

So far, of the total 121,800 beneficiaries who received the first tranche of Nyota Business Support startup capital, 114,492 (94 percent) have already participated in the mentorship programme, while the remaining 7,308 (6pc) are yet to attend. This extension ensures that all beneficiaries can meet the mandatory requirement for the second business skills classroom training.

Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi, Principal Secretary for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Susan Mang’eni said the mentorship programme, which began on March 4, has been rolled out across all 1,450 wards in the country as part of efforts to strengthen youth-led enterprises.

Mang’eni said the programme includes site visits, business guide talks, experience-sharing sessions, cross-peer mentorship and networking opportunities designed to support beneficiaries in building sustainable businesses.

“The mandatory mentorship programme follows the nationwide disbursement of the first tranche of Nyota Business Support startup capital to 121,800 beneficiaries as part of the three-pronged pathway for enterprise development comprising business skills training, funding and mentorship,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the PS, 94 per cent of the beneficiaries who received the first tranche of funding have already undergone the mentorship programme, while 98 per cent of them have already started their businesses.

“The remaining two per cent are in the process of starting their enterprises,” Mang’eni said.

Data from the programme shows that most participants are new entrepreneurs, with 65 per cent starting businesses for the first time. About 19 per cent have less than one year of business experience, 13 per cent have been in business between one and three years, while only three per cent have more than three years of experience.

Mang’eni said the figures indicate that the Nyota Business Support initiative is largely targeting emerging entrepreneurs who are at the early stages of establishing their enterprises.

In terms of gender distribution, 51 per cent of the beneficiaries who have undergone mentorship are women while 49 per cent are men, reflecting near gender parity in the programme.

Agriculture, livestock, forestry and fisheries emerged as the most popular sectors among beneficiaries, accounting for 41 per cent of enterprises established under the programme. The wholesale and retail sector follows at 26 per cent, fashion and design at 11 per cent, and beauty and cosmetics at seven per cent.

Other sectors attracting participants include information and communication technology, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, as well as transportation and storage.

Mang’eni said the mentorship programme, which had initially been scheduled to end on March 31, has been extended to April 8 to allow the remaining six per cent of beneficiaries who have not yet attended to complete the process.

“The mentorship is a mandatory requirement for the second business skills classroom training, and beneficiaries who have not engaged with their mentors are urged to contact their constituency Nyota Project coordinators immediately,” she said.

The PS added that the second round of mandatory business skills classroom training will begin on April 15 in all constituencies across the country.

Upon completion of the training, beneficiaries will receive the second tranche of the Nyota Business Support startup capital amounting to Sh25,000, with Sh3,000 set aside as savings under the Haba Haba scheme by the National Social Security Fund.

This will bring the total support disbursed to each beneficiary to Sh50,000 as outlined in the project design.

Mang’eni said the second tranche of funds is expected to be released before the end of April after completion of the classroom training, paving the way for a second mentorship phase that will connect beneficiaries to the broader micro, small and medium enterprise ecosystem.

She added that beneficiaries from Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps will undertake their classroom business skills training in April and May alongside members of the host communities in the respective regions.

The Nyota Project has also created opportunities for graduate-level youth, with more than 3,600 trainers and 5,500 mentors engaged to support entrepreneurs participating in the programme.