Morocco Rail Expansion Gets 14bn Boost As World Cup Confirmed

Morocco has received 14bn of investment offers for its masterplan to upgrade rail links in the country, according to a statement by African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina at the Banks flagship Africa Investment Forum last week.

The figure significantly exceeds the target of 8.8bn set by the countrys National Railways Office ONCF.

The AfDB itself signed-off on a 350m loan to Morocco for infrastructure projects at the forum. The bank is also considering loaning 650m to help the country strengthen its infrastructure ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal. The loan would help to boost economic governance, improve water supplies and establish an industrial zone in the Nador West Med port.

Morocco is seeking to significantly expand its rail network to 3,800 km by 2040, up from around 2,200 km today. The expansion plan would see 87 of the population connected by rail, according to the ONCF, with the network linking 43 cities, 15 international airports and 12 seaports.

Multiple projects to extend the current network are already in progress. The ONCF plans to invest 1bn in buying new trains, upgrading existing rolling stock, and building new maintenance workshops between 2025 and 2027.