20 Business Opportunities for Youth in Kenya

Kenya has become a hub of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, offering numerous business opportunities for the youth. Whether you’re looking to tap into the digital space, agriculture, or traditional ventures, there’s something for everyone.

Being a youth in Kenya needs you to be open-minded, and be ready to learn. Between 19 and 25 are your prime years, when you should discover your purpose and pursue it. However, with too much noise and peer pressure, it might be so tough to tap into these opportunities. 

Therefore, you need to be highly dedicated to writing your own story. That said, I have compiled for you 20 business ideas, particularly for the youth in Kenya. 

Most of these business opportunities require little to no capital since some only need your skill as the capital, then focus on marketing it. And the good thing is that you can acquire these skills through free blogs and vlogs on the internet. 

Top Business Ideas for Youth in Kenya

1. Digital Marketing Services

Business opportunities for youth in Kenya: Digital marketing

Although I’m no longer a youth, I do digital marketing, which I started learning the skills in my early 20s. Since 2020, the covid year, the digital space has taken a different turn, for the best. Smartphone usage has increased ever since, causing high growth in digital marketing.

Thus, more businesses are moving online hence increasing the demand for digital marketing experts. I would say that any business that hasn’t started digital marketing will be left out big time. And to stay in business in the next 5-10 years, the businesses will have boarded the digital marketing space. 

 As a Kenyan youth, you can offer services like Search Engine Optimization(SEO), social media management, and content creation to help businesses build their online presence. 

However, to start being a digital marketer, you need to have the right skills. You can get the skills with our Digital Marketing Course. You get it for Ksh.3000. WhatsApp us at +254748628107 for more details. 

2. Blogging and Vlogging

If you have a passion for storytelling or a niche interest, consider blogging or creating YouTube content. It takes dedication to create content that your audience will like to start seeing the best results. 

The good news is you can start by creating animations with AI and start marketing your YouTube channel. Faceless YouTube channels are making money out there, you only need to have a storyline that attracts people.

Picture this: videos have a 92% audience reach around the world. This means that your videos will not only reach the Kenyan audience but can reach everyone in the world. 

As for the blog, you can start a niche blog where you can share valuable insights that people would like to learn about over and over again. For instance, I started CeciliaWayua Tech to help people learn ways to make money through businesses and investments. We also tap into the digital space and show how we can all leverage technology to make money. 

Monetization opportunities for blogging and vlogging include ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing. And once the income starts kicking in, there is no going back!

3. Online Tutoring

Leverage your expertise in a subject by teaching others online. Online teaching has been on the rise since 2020, and it’s still increasing. This means that people are eventually accepting the online learning technique. 

So now, master your skills and teach others at a fee. You can create an e-learning website and link it with a Learning Management System (LMS) to track your student’s progress. 

Additionally, you can sell your courses at platforms like Thinkific and still manage to monitor your student’s progress. 

Alternatively, platforms like Zoom and Google Meet make it easy to connect with students worldwide. All you need is to set up specific class hours and allow your students to join from anywhere in the world. 

4. Graphic Design

Graphic design for businesses.

With the rise of digital content, businesses need logos, posters, and marketing materials. And this is where graphic design comes in. Graphic design is one of the business opportunities for the youth in Kenya.

The good news is you can do graphics from anywhere. Therefore, you don’t have to work somewhere constant. And that’s what makes it a business because you can work for as many clients as possible. 

However, to succeed in this business, you need the skills, just like any other business. So, you can take free courses on platforms like Coursera or Hubspot. But remember that doing this practically will make you an expert. 

You should master tools like Canva or Adobe Illustrator to get started. In addition, before you get that first client, you can design posters explaining what you do and post them on social media for more visibility.

5. Business Opportunities for the Youth in Kenya: Dropshipping

Dropshipping is another business opportunity for the youths in Kenya. As a Kenyan youth, you can start an online store without holding inventory. 

Dropshipping is a business model where you sell products online without keeping them in stock. Instead, when someone buys an item from your store, you forward the order to a supplier who ships the product directly to the customer.

You act as the middle person, focusing on marketing and customer service, while the supplier handles storage, packaging, and shipping. It’s a low-risk way to start an online business since you don’t need to buy inventory upfront.

You can partner with suppliers to deliver goods directly to customers, focusing on niches like fashion, gadgets, or home decor.

6. Event Planning and Management

Nowadays, people are thrilled by events like weddings, baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. But here is the catch, planning for these events is one of the most hectic experiences I have known—speaking from experience. 

Therefore, the event host would rather hire an event planner and save the energy of thinking about everything in the event. And that’s where your skills are needed. Being creative and detail-oriented is one thing that will set you apart from the others. 

To acquire the necessary skills, you need to be an extrovert, attend most of these events, and have a glimpse of what happens. However, to stand out, you should add more creative and unique touches that will help you win the right clients. 

Do I have to tell you that it’s in your early 20s when you should start building a reliable network in your life? Attend those seminars, learn, and save numbers, you don’t know when you may need them in the future. 

7. Urban Farming

With limited space in urban areas, vertical farming and greenhouse projects are innovative ways to grow crops and sell them to nearby markets.

Urban farming is growing food or raising animals in cities or towns instead of rural areas. It can include planting vegetables on rooftops, in backyards, or in community gardens, and even raising chickens or fish.

The goal is to produce fresh food close to where people live, often in small spaces, while promoting sustainability and healthy eating.

So, now, being a born-town youth still leaves you with these simple projects you can do and still make money. 

8. Mobile Car Wash

A mobile car wash service offers convenience for customers who prefer cleaning services at their homes or offices. People are becoming overly lazy, including myself. 

Therefore, most people would like in-house services, such as car wash. All you need to have is a car washing machine and a simple means of transport such as a motorbike. 

With the right tools in place, you can walk into companies and homes and sell your services. You can agree on water costs or buy from a nearby kiosk for swift services provision. 

And remember, every business needs consistency, don’t work for a week and then give up if the clients are fewer than you expected. 

Read also: Businesses to start with 1k in Kenya

9. Cyber Café and Printing Services

Despite the digital age, there’s still demand for printing, photocopying, and internet services, especially in busy urban areas. However, to diversify, you can still stock office stationery and books.

Furthermore, tapping into the T-shirts, umbrellas, and capes printing business can help you stay in business for a longer period. With these, you can get gigs from companies and print their marketing materials. 

But like I usually say, always ensure you start somewhere, and get the skills and the necessary equipment like computers, and printers. 

10. Photography and Videography

Business opportunities for youth in Kenya: Photography

If you have a camera and a good eye for detail, you can start a photography or videography business for events, marketing campaigns, or social media content. The digital space is creating so many opportunities for high-quality visuals.

And trust me, no company or event host would like to jeopardize the quality of images or videos they display online. Therefore, you will likely get photography and videography gigs from these events.

However, you should combine your photography and videography skills with graphic design so you can edit your client’s images and videos. This will even make your services more marketable. 

11. App and Website Development

Any serious business in 2025 onwards should have a business website, and be very active on social media. With a website, businesses can sell their products and services to a larger audience, even across the globe. 

With the possibility of sales increase, businesses are tapping into online selling, which is made possible with websites and apps. 

Therefore, learning coding or partnering with a developer can help you tap into this market. You can learn web development with a trusted E-learning platform like Codecademy.

12. Business Opportunities for Youth in Kenya: Laundry Services

Clothes are worn daily. Making it hard for professionals to cope with the piling of dirty clothes. Doing laundry is one of the less demanding business opportunities for the youth in Kenya. 

You can start with minimal equipment and scale as demand grows. Furthermore, some professionals give you everything you need, water, soap, and basins, your work is just to wash. This leaves you with a profits-only business. Here, you dedicated your time to delivering high-quality services. 

You can also sell your services on Mama Fua apps such as Balozy and reach a wider client base. 

13. Freelance Writing

Content creation is in high demand, from blogs to articles and social media posts. With AI, most companies have resolved to use it to make content. However, pure AI content cannot drive the desired results.

And that’s why content creation with a human touch is so essential in marketing. Although the work volume has significantly reduced, companies are still hiring high-quality freelance writers to help in writing marketing content across all channels.

Therefore, gain the necessary skills and make yourself an expert in what you do. Additionally, ensure you also have the experience of generating content with top AI tools in the market. 

Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr can connect you with clients. You can also market your services on all the relevant social media channels. 

14. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is another one of the best business opportunities for the youth in Kenya. Being an affiliate marketer means you will promote products or services through affiliate programs and earn a commission for every sale generated through your links.

However, to make significant money with affiliate marketing, you should have a huge audience. You can grow your audience through social media channels, and blogging linked with email marketing. 

Therefore, if you happen to have a huge following, you can reach out to brands and agree on some commission for selling their products. 

Read also: Grocery business in Kenya

15. Boda Boda Business

Boda boda business is another business opportunity for the youth in Kenya. You can agree with me that the boda boda business is feeding thousands of families in Kenya. 

Motorbike transport is popular across Kenyan town streets and rural areas. It has proven to be a profitable business in Kenya’s urban and rural areas.

This makes it a go-to venture for Kenyan youth. To start off, ensure you have the skills, go to a driving school, and get your rider’s license. Afterward, you can find someone to give you their motorbike and agree on the amount you will be sending them daily. 

Alternatively, you can get a new motorbike on hire purchase and pay it for the agreed period till it fully becomes yours. 

16. Beauty and Cosmetic Services

Women can go miles to stay beautiful. This makes the beauty and cosmetic industry to be ever thriving. 

Starting a salon, offering makeup services, or selling beauty products can attract a steady stream of customers.

However, you need the right skills to set up this business since your expertise sells your services. 

17. Delivery Services

The demand for delivery services has grown, especially with the rise of e-commerce and food delivery. Starting a delivery business is one of the business opportunities for the youth in Kenya. 

With many businesses shifting to online selling, your services can come in handy and make some good money. 

However, you need a reliable delivery bike or vehicle to facilitate movement. For example, in Nairobi, you can station yourself in busy Wholesale areas where you are likely to send parcels to the bus park.

To succeed in the delivery services business, you should be highly trustworthy and ensure you do a clean business. Always ensure that you don’t give your clients any reason to doubt your authenticity. 

18. Fitness Training

fitness training

If you’re passionate about health, consider becoming a fitness trainer or opening a small gym. You can also create fitness training content and post it on YouTube and social media, where you can later monetize.

One thing I like about these social streets is that people like authenticity more than anything else. And if you present that, you will make zero effort to trend, and that’s where the money is, with the right strategy. 

19. Soap and Detergent Making

With basic skills and ingredients, you can produce and sell soaps, detergents, and cleaning products in your community. With just ksh.1000 you can start this business.

However, ensure you have the skills and be ready to be a marketer. Remember that quality products are the dream of every homeowner. Therefore, ensure you make high-quality detergents that will make you have repeat customers. 

You can also add more products like softeners, sanitizers, shampoos, etc. Be an expert such that your current clients can easily refer you to their friends. 

20. Second-Hand Clothes Business (Mitumba)

Mutumba clothe bales

Selling affordable, trendy second-hand clothes is a popular and profitable business in many parts of Kenya. You can get a Mitumba clothes bale with as low as Ksh. 10,000 in Gikomba, Nairobi. In addition, you can start a clothing business with 50k, all-inclusive, stock, rent, permits, etc. 

You just need a busy location, where you can get walk-in customers. In addition, you can also start selling the clothes online through channels like TikTok, Instagram, etc. 

Business Opportunities for the Youth in Kenya: Final Thoughts

Kenyan youths are equipped with creativity, energy, and resilience. With the right mindset, any of these business ideas can grow into a successful venture. 

Always start small, research thoroughly, and be consistent in your efforts. Entrepreneurship is a journey, and every step brings you closer to success!

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