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The future of infrastructure: Planning for connected systems
Growing demand for infrastructure is bringing difficult investment decisions into sharper focus. Governments and industry must decide which projects to prioritise, how to finance and deliver them amid increasing complex and changing risks. They must also consider how infrastructure systems depend on one another, and what skills and technologies are needed to keep them working overtime.
Deloitte’s 2026 Future of Infrastructure Survey examines these challenges through the views of 985 infrastructure executives from government, private-sector and not-for-profit organisations across 21 countries. Respondents expect increased investment across digital networks, energy and water, transport and social infrastructure over the next three years. The question facing infrastructure leaders is not only what to build, but how connected systems should be financed, delivered, operated and protected.
Malta faces growing demands on its transport systems, utilities and public services. We need to continue to invest in infrastructure that improves productivity, but these projects are costly and carry risk. That makes a clear infrastructure strategy and sound decisions about where to invest critical. Deloitte’s global infrastructure specialists support governments navigate those decisions, from financing through to delivery and risk management.
- Marc Alden, Deloitte Malta CEO and Government & Public Sector Industry leader
Malta perspective
Economic and population growth have placed strain on Malta’s infrastructure. Malta needs infrastructure that supports productivity and the reliable provision of essential services. Deloitte’s survey offers lessons for how infrastructure investment is planned and delivered: energy, water, transport and digital systems should be considered together where they depend on one another; financing should reflect the needs and risks of each project; and delivery challenges should be identified and managed early. Infrastructure investments can affect businesses, public services and households for many years, making careful planning and sound investment decisions important for Malta.
The Malta Malta in Motion transport plan provides a roadmap for an integrated and more effective national transport system. It includes a proposal for a rapid transit system to complement buses, ferries, roads, walking and cycling in a phased programme. This brings into focus the affordability, deliverability, and relative long-term value of competing mass transit proposals. As more detailed options are developed, the survey’s lessons on connected systems, capital fit and delivery are pertinent: investment in one mode needs to work with the others, while choices about cost, sequencing and implementation will determine what can be delivered and if Malta creates value from the investment or merely a debt burden.
What the survey tells us
The survey shows that expectations for connected infrastructure are rising alongside persistent challenges in financing and delivery. Globally, 69% of respondents expect demand for smart, connected and resilient urban infrastructure to have a significant impact over the next three years. Yet investment ambition does not automatically produce projects that can be financed or delivered: respondents identified budgetary constraints (31%) and limited access to long-term, reliable funding (22%) among the challenges they expect to face.
Delivery processes present another constraint. Complex policies, regulations and permitting processes were cited by 39% of respondents as an implementation challenge, while 29% cited complex procurement. Environmental reviews and coordination between institutions can add further complexity. These processes serve important public purposes, but fragmented requirements can slow delivery even when funding is available.
The findings also show that resilience priorities are uneven. Among government respondents, 56% identified natural disasters and extreme weather as the greatest threat to infrastructure resilience, while 33% selected investment in extreme-weather resilience and disaster preparedness among their highest priorities. Cybersecurity is also a concern, with 55% of respondents agreeing that public and critical infrastructure need stronger protection from cyberattacks.
Five shifts shaping the next era of infrastructure
The five shifts show why infrastructure decisions cannot be separated neatly into planning, financing, delivery and operations. Each affects what can be achieved in the others, and the ability to manage those connections will influence how well new investment serves its intended purpose.
About the report
The Deloitte Global 2026 Future of Infrastructure Survey surveyed 985 infrastructure executives around the world across government, private sector, and not-for-profit organisations to understand how leaders are approaching infrastructure investment, delivery, resilience, technology, AI, and financing.
The survey included respondents from 21 countries across four infrastructure asset classes: digital infrastructure and networks; energy, water, other utilities; mobility and transportation; and social and entertainment infrastructure. Our commentary focuses on what these findings mean for Malta.
