The Kenyan government has cautioned members of the public against a fake online advert claiming that applications for Phase Two of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project business support programme are currently open.

According to Susan Mang'eni, the Principal Secretary for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development, the advert circulating on social media is false and should not be trusted.

She stressed that there is no ongoing application process for the second phase of the programme and urged Kenyans not to click on or submit information through the links being shared.

The government warned that fraudsters often use fake announcements about popular government initiatives to collect personal details or scam unsuspecting applicants.

Citizens have therefore been advised to rely only on verified government websites and official social media accounts for authentic updates on the NYOTA Project and other public programmes.

The advisory follows the launch of the first phase of the NYOTA Project on June 17, which aims to support young entrepreneurs through financial assistance and business development opportunities under the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development together with other government agencies.

Officials noted that eligible beneficiaries will always be contacted through official government communication channels whenever applications or selections are announced.

The government has encouraged Kenyans to remain alert, verify information before acting on it, and report suspicious adverts that falsely claim to represent government programmes.