Morocco has reportedly approved a $1bn expansion of Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca, centred on the construction of a new terminal scheduled for completion in 2029.

A local consortium comprising Société Générale des Travaux du Maroc (SGTM) and Travaux Généraux de Construction de Casablanca (TGCC) emerged as the preferred bidder for the project, Moroccan media report, after Turkish construction group Kalyon İnşaat was eliminated during administrative and technical evaluations.

The bid opening for the project — one of the largest airport expansion tenders ever launched in Morocco— took place this week following an international tender issued in early November. The country’s National Airports Office (ONDA) has not yet formally confirmed the award, the contractor or the financing structure.

The expansion forms part of Morocco’s wider aviation upgrade programme ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the country will co-host with Spain and Portugal. Authorities have said upgrading hub airports will be critical to handling higher passenger volumes and strengthening Morocco’s role as a regional and intercontinental transit centre.

Mohammed V International Airport is Morocco’s largest airport and the primary hub for Royal Air Maroc, handling the bulk of the country’s international air traffic. The project is intended to ease congestion, improve passenger experience and reinforce Casablanca’s position as a gateway between Africa, Europe and the Americas.

The terminal development also fits into a broader programme to modernise Morocco’s airport infrastructure, following recent upgrades in Marrakech, Agadir and Tangier, as the country prepares for sustained growth in tourism and business travel later in the decade.