Only 10% of Nigeria’s 2.5 million tons of annual plastic waste gets recycled. The rest? It clogs our drainage systems, pollutes our environment and threatens our health. But young innovators like Victoria Francis are changing that, starting from the streets of Akwa Ibom. Through Plastic Cultured, she and her team are turning collected waste into fuel, mattresses and plastic bins. Their innovation is about more than just recycling; it’s about creating jobs, protecting the environment and building cleaner communities for residents and tourists alike. Thanks to the Young Africa Innovates Programme, Victoria now has the support, mentorship and tools to scale her idea and push for a zero plastic waste culture across Nigeria. In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, we’re empowering atypical and underrepresented innovators  especially young women and community-based change makers to build solutions that work.