Goal 9 of 17

Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

What this goal is about

Goal 9 is about the networks and industries a country runs on: roads, ports, power, mobile broadband and the factories, small firms and research labs that turn them into jobs and products. It asks for infrastructure that keeps working when things go wrong, industry that includes more people and pollutes less, and more investment in research.

It matters because most other goals depend on it. Clinics need electricity, schools need a connection, farmers need roads to reach buyers, and cutting emissions means cleaner factories and power. Where infrastructure is weak, everything else costs more and takes longer.

Progress is uneven. Mobile coverage and research spending have grown since 2015, but manufacturing's share of the world economy has not moved, industrial emissions hit a record in 2025 and 2.2 billion people were still offline that year.

2.2 billionpeople still not using the internetITU, Facts and Figures 2025, 2025

84% vs 4%5G population coverage, high-income vs low-income countriesUN, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, 2025

15.6%manufacturing share of world GDP, unchanged since 2015UN, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, 2025

88 vs 4,358researchers per million people, sub-Saharan Africa vs Europe and Northern AmericaUN, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, 2023

The main targets

9.1

Build reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including cross-border links, with affordable and fair access for everyone.

9.2

Raise industry's share of jobs and GDP by 2030, and double it in the least developed countries.

9.3

Give small industrial and other firms better access to finance, including affordable credit, and to value chains and markets.

9.4

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industry to use resources more efficiently and adopt cleaner technologies.

9.5

Strengthen scientific research, increase the number of researchers and raise public and private spending on research and development.

9.a

Support infrastructure in developing countries with more finance, technology and technical help, especially in Africa and the poorest countries.

9.b

Support home-grown technology, research and innovation in developing countries, including policies that add value to commodities.

9.c

Greatly increase access to information technology and aim for universal, affordable internet in the least developed countries.

Summaries in plain English. The full wording of every target and indicator is on the UN Goal 9 page.

What businesses can do

Measure energy and materials. Track monthly energy use, main materials and waste, then fix the single biggest loss first. A spreadsheet is enough to start.
Ask suppliers simple questions. Ask key suppliers what energy they use and whether they can share basic waste data, so you can choose partners who will meet future customer requirements.
Keep records lenders can read. Clean monthly accounts, a cash-flow forecast and traceable invoices make it easier to borrow at a fair rate, which is what target 9.3 is about.
Budget time for improvement. Set aside regular time to test one new process, material or product change, and record the result. Ask an accountant whether any of it qualifies for research tax relief where you operate.
Build for slow connections. Make websites and apps light, accessible and usable on basic phones and patchy networks, so you reach customers who are only partly connected.

What you can do

Build a small local solution. Pick a local problem, such as unreadable bus times or a shop without digital payments, and design a simple fix with friends or a club.
Add public places to open maps. Volunteer mappers add roads and buildings to OpenStreetMap for planners and emergency teams. Map public features only and ask an adult before creating an account.
Learn how your area is supplied. Find out where your electricity, water and internet come from, and use it for a school project or a visit to a local utility or workshop.
Explore engineering and trades. Engineering, data, design, planning and skilled trades such as electricians and network technicians all build and maintain the infrastructure this goal needs.

Where digital tools help

Software and data help where they make physical networks work better or cheaper: mapping which schools lack a connection, letting agencies share data through open systems such as X-Road, giving small firms cheap instant payments like India's UPI, and showing factories where energy is wasted. They cannot replace masts, cables or power lines, and they fail when people cannot afford data or nobody local can maintain the system.

Strategy and go-to-market Web apps and SaaS