DAR ES SALAAM: A 29-YEAR-OLD entrepreneur in stock markets, Ms Peris Leguna has rallied fellow youth to leverage social media for exploring investment opportunities, describing the digital space as valuable learning and networking tool.
In an interview with the ‘Daily News’ over the weekend, she said when she wanted to invest in stock markets, she used the social media as classrooms to acquire knowledge on how to inject her capital so as to obtain desired returns.
“Through platforms such as investment forums, I have been able to follow market analysts, financial institutions and experienced investors who share insights, trends and educational content. They also provide real time discussions on market movements and new opportunities,” she said.
Ms Leguna pointed out that the digital platforms have been helping her to make informed investment decision by accessing real time information on the markets, regulatory changes and global economic trends.
“The social media support professional networking, knowledge sharing and participation in webinars, online courses and investment communities that enhance my understanding of financial market,” she said.
Ms Leguna said she has been visiting official websites of the Capital Markets and Securities Authority (CMSA) and the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) to access credible information, market reports, regulations and updates on listed companies.
“I use stock brokers’ official websites and platforms to follow market data, research reports and trading insights,” she said.
Furthermore, she said WhatsApp investment groups and youth forums have been useful for peer learning, sharing market updates and discussing investment ideas. She also uses Instagram and LinkedIn to explore knowledge in stock markets and beyond.
“Instagram helps me discover simplified investment content and financial education shared by finance professionals and creators while LinkedIn is a valuable platform for accessing professional discussions, research articles and expert opinions on capital markets and investment trends,” she explained.
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Ms Leguna also noted that she developed early interest and exposure to capital markets while pursuing her bachelor degree studies at the Ardhi University as she participated at the University Challenge competition by the CMSA in which she emerged as the winner.
She said such triumph deepened her understanding of stock market operations and inspired her to actively explore investment and financial literacy topics.
In that regard, Ms Leguna called on fellow youth to use the digital platforms wisely to identify potential economic opportunities and network with entrepreneurship experts to guide their investment journey.
“I urge young people to use social media intentionally and responsibly. Instead of only scrolling through content, they should follow educational pages, financial literacy platforms and professional networks. Social media can be a powerful classroom if used wisely, it can expand knowledge, create opportunities and inspire informed financial decisions,” she said.
She said the stock market serves as a powerful tool for long term wealth creation albeit hinting that short term fluctuations are common. She said historically stock markets tend to provide higher returns compared to traditional savings or fixed income instruments.
“With proper research, diversification and a long term investment horizon, stock markets offer significant potential for financial growth and economic empowerment, especially for young investors,” he said.
She encouraged fellow youth to start investing early, even with small amounts, insisting that it is not only for the wealthy but a discipline that builds financial independence over time.
“Young people should educate themselves, seek professional guidance when necessary and focus on long term goals rather than short term speculation,” she said.
Academically, Ms Leguna is an expert in Smart City Management who recently graduated with a Master’s Degree at Hanyang University in South Korea.
Beyond investing in the stock markets, she doubles as Tutorial Assistant at the Ardhi University. Responding to the question pertaining to the country’s strategies to upscale youth digital literacy during a press conference in Dar es Salaam recently, Minister of State in the President OfficeYouth Development, Dr Joel Nanauka said the government is set to establish an Open Coding School for the youth to acquire digital skills which are useful in digitalising their economic activities.
He said digital space offers massive opportunities which the youth can earn incomes beyond using them only for communication.
Looking ahead, he said the government intends to create eight million jobs in the next five years, 50 per cent from both the formal and informal private sector.
Dr Nanauka reminded that youth currently forms over 50 per cent of the country’s workforce. Globally, digital economy is the fastest-growing sector of the global economy.
According to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an estimated 6 billion people, about three-quarters of the world’s population were using the internet in 2025, up from a revised estimate of 5.8 billion in 2024.