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Doha – Morocco’s National Airports Office (ONDA) has appointed new directors to lead Nador El Aroui and Agadir Al Massira airports as part of its “Airports 2030” strategy, the office announced today.
ONDA Director General Adel El Fakir named Othmane Hassani as director of Nador El Aroui airport and El Mokhtar Dahraoui as director of Agadir Al Massira airport.
Both appointees bring extensive experience in air navigation and airport infrastructure management, according to ONDA’s statement.
Nador El Aroui airport registered over 1.05 million passengers in 2024, a 3% increase from 2023 when it first surpassed the one-million passenger milestone.
Meanwhile, Agadir Al Massira airport handled 3.1 million passengers in 2024, representing a 36% increase from the previous year. ONDA plans to launch an expansion project at the Agadir facility to support this growth.
In their new roles, Hassani and Dahraoui will spearhead the modernization of their respective airports by implementing innovative solutions for passenger flow management, service enhancement, and operational efficiency improvements.
ONDA began its airport leadership restructuring in 2024. In September, new directors were installed at Al Hoceima-Chérif Al Idrissi, Tétouan-Saniat R’mel, and Laâyoune-Hassan 1er airports.
In November, Hicham Rahil, who holds a doctorate in computer science and applied mathematics, was named director of Casablanca’s Mohammed V Airport after two decades of service at ONDA.
Morocco’s airports achieved a record 32.7 million passengers in 2024, showing a 21% increase from 2023, according to the Directorate of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF). International passenger traffic grew by 20%, while domestic travel surged by 30%.
Transport and Logistics Minister Abdessamad Kayouh revealed in January that Morocco will invest MAD 42 billion ($4.2 billion) in airport expansion projects by 2030. These investments aim to prepare for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
The expansion program includes upgrading Casablanca’s Mohammed V Airport to increase its capacity from 14 million to 35 million passengers by 2029. Airports in Marrakech, Tangier, and Fez will also undergo major modernization to double their capacity.
The government projects airport traffic to reach 60 million passengers by 2030 and 90 million by 2035.
The airport expansion plan aligns with Morocco’s tourism growth, as the country welcomed 17.4 million international tourists in 2024, a 20% increase from 2023, making it Africa’s most-visited destination. Tourism officials expect to receive 26 million visitors during the World Cup year.
