AfDB approves $316 million loan to Morocco for airport upgrades ahead of 2030 World Cup
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The African Development Bank approved a €270 million ($316 million) loan to Morocco to finance airport upgrades ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the country will co-host with Spain and Portugal. The funding supports expansion and modernisation of passenger terminals and equipment at Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier, and Fez airports as part of Morocco’s national aviation capacity enhancement plan.
Morocco plans to invest 38 billion dirhams ($4 billion) to increase total passenger capacity to 80 million by 2030 from 38 million currently. The initiative aligns with surging tourism, recording 18 million arrivals by November 2025 versus 17.4 million for all of 2024.
The AfDB loan raises its total commitments to Morocco this year to €1.3 billion, positioning the country as the bank’s largest African client. The government is simultaneously expanding Royal Air Maroc’s fleet to consolidate Casablanca’s role as a hub linking Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
