“Empowered Youth. Thriving Creativity. Sporting Excellence.”
The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Achievement Report for Financial Year 2024–2025 documents a year of significant transformation across three interconnected sectors that collectively shape the opportunities, identities and aspirations of millions of young Kenyans. The reporting period was characterized by strategic policy reforms, landmark institutional developments, unprecedented investment, and measurable improvements in outcomes across youth empowerment, creative industry development, and sporting excellence.
The establishment of the Creative Economy as an explicit pillar of the Ministry’s mandate stands as one of the most significant institutional developments of this administration’s tenure. By formally recognizing creative industries — encompassing music, film, fashion, visual arts, digital content creation, and cultural enterprises — as a dedicated sector deserving strategic policy attention, dedicated financing, and institutional support, the Government acknowledged what empirical evidence has long demonstrated: creative industries are not peripheral cultural activities but significant economic engines capable of generating employment, driving exports, and expressing Kenya’s global cultural identity. The sector’s growth to KES 156 billion in GDP contribution, representing 18 per cent year-on-year growth, vindicates this strategic positioning.
Youth economic empowerment recorded its strongest single-year performance in the Ministry’s history. The Youth Enterprise Development Fund disbursed KES 4.8 billion to 85,000 young entrepreneurs — the largest annual disbursement in the Fund’s history — with a loan repayment rate of 78 per cent demonstrating improved portfolio quality. The National Youth Service enrolled 12,000 trainees with a 95 per cent graduation rate and 75 per cent post-training employment rate. The Kenya Youth Digital Academy’s 52,000 beneficiaries exceeded the target of 50,000, and ten Digital Innovation Hubs now provide advanced ICT facilities, incubation services, and technical training across Kenya’s major cities and towns.
Sports achievements in 2024–2025 were exceptional across elite performance, infrastructure development, and grassroots programming. Kenyan athletes secured 45 international medals — 18 gold, 15 silver and 12 bronze — across the World Athletics Championships, Commonwealth Games, and African Championships. Three world records were set. Fifteen modern sports complexes were constructed, 40 existing facilities were refurbished, and KES 8.5 billion was invested in sports infrastructure — the largest single-year investment in Kenya’s sporting history. The National Talent Academy in Eldoret was officially launched, enrolling 300 talented athletes aged 14–18 in a holistic development program combining world-class athletic training with education and life skills.
Notwithstanding these achievements, the Ministry is candid about the challenges that persist. Youth unemployment, despite declining from 35 per cent to 30 per cent, remains far too high. Access to finance for young entrepreneurs, particularly those without collateral, continues to be a binding constraint. Infrastructure gaps remain in five counties without modern sports facilities. Intellectual property piracy undermines the incomes of creative professionals. Doping concerns continue to affect Kenya’s sporting reputation. These challenges are analyzed in detail in Parts II and IV, and are addressed through the strategic directions for 2025–2030.
Request the full report: info@tutam.or.ke
