Meed | Maghreb rail sector heads for boom

Maghreb rail sector heads for boom

5 July 2024

The Maghreb region is headed for a potential surge in railway scheme development, with upcoming projects worth tens of billions of dollars in pre-execution and set to swell the $7.6bn of rail schemes currently at the execution stage, according to regional projects tracker MEED Projects.

There are $18.5bn-worth of rail projects in prequalification or bid in Algeria and Morocco right now, led by an $11.2bn expansion of Morocco’s high-speed railway network.

Building on a $2.4bn stretch of high-speed rail between Tangier and Casablanca that was delivered in 2018, the expansion plans include a further $4.5bn-worth of line development between Kenitra and Marrakech and a $5.6bn line across the more mountainous terrain from Marrakech to Agadir.

Morocco’s rail prospects are also being boosted by the revival of the Spain-Morocco tunnel project.

In June 2023, the Spanish government revived plans for a Morocco-to-Spain undersea rail link project after allocating about $2.5m for a renewed design study. The project was first launched in 2003 but was put on hold after the 2008 financial crisis. It has undergone several rounds of feasibility studies but remains in the study stage after nearly two decades of funding-linked delays.

The plans involve a double-rail track with an additional service line stretching 38.5 kilometres (km) from Tarifa in Spain to Tangier in Morocco. The technically challenging scheme involves a 28km section running under the Mediterranean Sea at a maximum depth of 475 metres below sea level.

This is significantly deeper than the comparable Channel Tunnel between the UK and France, which at its deepest lies only 75 metres below the seabed and 115 metres below sea level.

In Algeria, there is meanwhile upwards of $5bn-worth of work in prequalification as part of the National Railway Programme being pursued by the country’s rail authority Anesrif, including a multibillion-dollar planned rail line to connect Oran on the northwest coast to the Algeria-Mali border.

There is also a significant volume of work in the design and study phases, including a $10bn electrification scheme announced by Algeria and due for prequalification in 2025 and award in early 2026 – a clear sign that Algiers is committed to delivering a modern public transport network.

Other planned rail modernisation and expansion schemes in the region include the Mohammadia-Mascara railway line in Algeria, the extension of Rabat-Sale light rail in Morocco and the extension of the Sfax light rail in Tunisia.

Ongoing projects

In terms of projects already under execution, the rail activity in the region is currently being led almost entirely by $7.4bn-worth of work Algeria. Many of the existing rail projects are long-standing ones, however, with the average duration of ongoing projects exceeding four-and-a-half years.

The value of new project awards in the rail sector in recent years has been subdued. In the past two years, there have been just $1.2bn of rail awards across the four countries of the Maghreb region.

The largest ongoing projects in Algeria are the Oued Tlelat-Akid Abbes railway line upgrade, the Tlemcen-Akid Abbes railway and the Tebessa-Ain M'lila railway line – the combined value of which is about $3.5bn.

In April, Anesrif also restarted the Relizane-Tiaret-Tissemsilt component of its $1.9bn East-West rail network expansion after a pause of several years and a change of contractors.

The contract with the previous group of contractors, which included Spain’s Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC) and local company Groupe ETRHB Haddad, was terminated.

In June, the client awarded a new $231m contract for lots one and two of the project to a consortium of local contractors, including EPTP Alger, GCB, Infrafer and Societe Algerienne des Ponts et Travaux d’Art.

Lot one includes works on the Relizane, Tiaret, Tissemsilt and Saida/Tiaret sections, spanning 10km. The remaining works are expected to be completed in 10 months. Lot two includes works on the Tiaret and Tissemsilt section, covering 63.5km, and will be due within 20 months.

Another major rail project under way in Algeria is the project to connect the Gara Djebilet iron ore mine in Western Algeria’s Tindouf province with the national rail network at Bechar.

In January, Algeria selected a team of Beijing-headquartered China Railway Construction Corporation and local contractor Cosider Travaux Publics for a contract to build a 575km railway line. The precise value of the project is unknown, but it could be worth $900m-$1.2bn.

In Tunisia, railway projects worth over $227m are in the execution phase. The biggest railway schemes under way include lots one and five of the country’s Rapid Rail Network. Morocco and Libya do not have any major railway schemes under execution, according to MEED Projects.

In general, with few significant projects awarded in the past two years, construction companies and rail sector suppliers will be eagerly awaiting the upcoming opportunities in the region.

If even a modest share of the large volume of work planned in Algeria and Morocco comes to fruition, contractors in the rail sector in the region could experience a boom.

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Yasir Iqbal

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Nakheel awards $259m Dubai Islands buildings contract
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Morocco plans second high-speed rail phase to Agadir
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Riyadh tenders King Salman Stadium works
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Saudi Arabia raises electricity tariffs
26 October 2026

Saudi Energy, formerly Saudi Electricity Company, has announced revised electricity tariffs, which will take effect on 1 January 2027.

The revised tariff schedule, published on the company’s official website, covers residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, charitable and government customers.

The largest percentage increase in consumption rates is 16.7%, for residential customers using up to 6,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) a month. Residential customers will pay 21 halalas/kWh for monthly consumption of up to 6,000kWh, up from 18 halalas. For consumption above 6,000kWh, the rate will rise from 30 to 33 halalas/kWh, a 10% increase.

The industrial tariff will increase by 15%, from 20 to 23 halalas/kWh. Commercial customers, private healthcare facilities and private educational facilities will pay 25 halalas/kWh, up from 22 halalas, for consumption up to 6,000kWh a month, and 35 halalas/kWh above that level, up from 32 halalas.

Tariffs for charities and government customers will also increase. In addition to consumption-based charges, customers will pay a fixed monthly fee based on the capacity of their electricity meter. This replaces the previous separate charge for meter reading, maintenance and billing, with VAT applied to the revised tariffs.

Electricity investment

The new tariffs coincide with changes to water consumption tariffs announced by the National Water Company, also effective from 1 January 2027.

King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud directed support measures following a proposal presented by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

This includes raising the minimum wage required for Saudi nationals to count as full employees towards private sector localisation quotas under the Nitaqat programme.

The tariff changes come as Saudi Arabia plans substantial investment in its electricity infrastructure. In September 2025, Saudi Energy announced plans to invest SR220bn ($58.7bn) in power infrastructure projects between 2025 and 2030.

A June 2025 report by Fitch Ratings forecast negative free cash flow of about SR16bn a year over the period and rising leverage, reflecting the financial demands of the programme.

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Mark Dowdall
Dubai Municipality confirms AED3bn Tasreef drainage awards
26 October 2026

Dubai Municipality has confirmed it has awarded four contracts worth AED3bn ($817m) to expand the emirate’s stormwater drainage network by about 100 square kilometres under phase three of the Tasreef programme.

The projects will cover Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim, Al-Quoz, Al-Barsha, Al-Wasl and Al-Marmoom. The works include constructing and extending main stormwater drainage lines with diameters of up to three metres.

The four packages are part of Dubai’s AED30bn Tasreef programme, which aims to increase the emirate’s stormwater drainage capacity by 700% and reduce costs associated with pumping stations, network operations and maintenance by 20%.

The contracts have been awarded to China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and three local firms: Arifco Group, Nael Construction & Contracting (NCC) and Detech Contracting. Dubai Municipality did not state which projects the awards relate to.

According to sources, the contract awards include packages TF-15-C1, TF-15-C2 and TF-13-C1.

The first package, TF-15-C1, involves the construction of 21 kilometres of main and secondary drainage lines along Al-Wasl Road and in surrounding areas. It will cover Za’abeel 2, Al-Wasl, Jumeirah 1 and 2, Al-Bada’a, Al-Satwa and Dubai World Trade Centre. The estimated $100m contract was awarded to Detech in July, as exclusively reported by MEED.

The second package, TF-15-C2, covers the corridor between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al-Khail Road. It includes about 14km of main drainage lines serving Al-Quoz Industrial Areas 1, 3 and 4, and Al-Barsha 1. In July, MEED reported that CSCEC had won the engineering, procurement and construction contract for this project.

The third package, TF-13-C1, covers Al-Marmoom, where 23km of drainage infrastructure will be developed. According to a source, Arifco has been awarded this contract.

The final package covers Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim, where about 42km of main drainage lines will serve Umm Suqeim 1, 2 and 3; Umm Al-Sheif; Jumeirah 3; Al-Safa 1 and 2; and Al-Manara.

In May, MEED reported that NCC had been awarded a contract to build a sewage and stormwater drainage system, DS-204. However, it is unconfirmed whether this relates to the same project.

Earlier, in February, the municipality confirmed it had awarded contracts for five new projects under phase two of the programme to expand and strengthen Dubai’s stormwater drainage network.

These included two contracts awarded to Detech and one to CSCEC for stormwater drainage infrastructure. In addition, two consultancy contracts were awarded for the study and design of drainage systems in selected areas across the emirate.

Cumulatively valued at AED2.5bn, the new projects will serve 30 vital areas, spanning approximately 430 million square metres and supporting an estimated population of three million residents by 2040.

Previously, in April 2025, an earlier package of awards was announced under phase one of the Tasreef programme. The overall masterplan aims to expand Dubai’s rainwater drainage capacity by 700% by 2033.

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Mark Dowdall
Nakheel awards $259m Dubai Islands buildings contract
26 October 2026

Dubai-based master developer Nakheel, part of Dubai Holding Real Estate, has awarded local firm Parkway International Contracting a construction contract valued at about AED950m ($259m) for phases two and four of Bay Grove Residences on Dubai Islands.

The package covers 617 residential units across eight buildings, ranging from one to four bedrooms, together with basement structures, infrastructure and community amenities including swimming pools, sports courts and fitness centres.

Phase two comprises 360 homes across four buildings, with main construction scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Phase four includes 257 homes across four buildings, with completion targeted for the second quarter of 2029.

The award follows an earlier contract valued at about AED800m ($218m) awarded to local contractor Metac General Contracting Company for phases one and three, covering 537 homes across seven buildings.

Together, the two contracts total more than AED1.75bn ($476m) and account for all 1,154 planned homes across the 15 buildings of Bay Grove Residences.

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In August 2025, Nakheel awarded Fibrex Contracting a AED2.6bn ($708m) construction contract for the Bay Villas residential project. That followed a AED527m ($143m) contract awarded to Al-Nasr Contracting Company in April 2026 for primary infrastructure and utilities on Island B.

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Yasir Iqbal
Morocco plans second high-speed rail phase to Agadir
26 October 2026

Morocco has outlined a second rail investment cycle for 2030-35, which includes beginning construction of a high-speed rail extension from Marrakech to Agadir and connecting Essaouira to the national rail network.

The pipeline forms part of the government’s 2026-31 programme, presented to parliament last week.

The Marrakech-Agadir link is estimated to cost close to MD55bn ($5.5bn) and will cover a 240-kilometre (km) route through the High Atlas Mountains via Chichaoua. Civil engineering structures, including tunnels and viaducts, are expected to account for nearly 70% of the alignment.

In September, the government issued a decree declaring the Marrakech-Agadir and Chichaoua-Essaouira rail corridors to be of public utility, paving the way for land acquisition and expropriation procedures.

Under the long-term masterplan Plan Rail Maroc 2040, Essaouira is expected to connect to the network via a separate line branching off at Chichaoua, designed for operating speeds of up to 200km an hour. The mainline to Agadir is designed for speeds of up to 320km/h.

The 2030-35 cycle also includes rehabilitating the Casablanca-Khouribga-Oued Zem line; constructing a new line between Oued Zem and Beni Mellal via Bejaad, with a branch to Fquih Ben Salah; doubling and upgrading the 140km Benguerir-Safi line; expanding capacity on the Fez-Oujda corridor; and building new-generation passenger stations.

The plans follow Morocco’s ongoing MD134bn ($13.4bn) 2024-30 rail investment programme, which focuses on completing the Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed line ahead of the 2030 Fifa World Cup.

The programme also includes developing regional express network services across five regions, electrifying the Fez-Oujda line and completing a freight rail link to the Nador West Med port.

Work on the Kenitra-Marrakech line had reached about 30% by May 2026, with commercial services targeted to begin in September 2029.

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Yasir Iqbal

Riyadh tenders King Salman Stadium works

26 October 2026

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Saudi Arabia’s Sports Ministry has tendered a contract covering early works at King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh.

The scope includes enabling works, site preparation and initial construction activities.

The tender was issued on 11 October, with a submission deadline of 19 November.

The stadium will cover about 660,000 square metres (sq m) and seat 92,000. Facilities will include a 150-seat royal suite, 120 hospitality suites, 300 VIP seats and 2,200 dignitary seats.

The wider development will include sports facilities covering more than 360,000 sq m, including two training fields and fan zones; a closed sports hall; an Olympic-sized swimming pool; an athletics track; and outdoor courts for volleyball, basketball and padel.

The stadium is set to host the final of the 2034 Fifa World Cup and will serve as the Saudi national football team’s main base.

US-based architectural firm Populous is the lead architect for the stadium.

Construction of the stadium is expected to be completed by 2029.

The stadium will be located next to King Abdulaziz Park.

Firms submitted prequalification statements for the main design-and-build contract in February.

Saudi stadium plans

In August 2024, MEED reported that Saudi Arabia planned to build 11 new stadiums and refurbish four facilities for the 2034 Fifa World Cup.

Eight stadiums will be located in Riyadh, four in Jeddah and one each in Al-Khobar, Abha and Neom.

A further 10 cities will host training bases: Al-Baha, Jazan, Taif, Medina, Alula, Umluj, Tabuk, Hail, Al-Ahsa and Buraidah.

There are expected to be 134 training sites in the kingdom, including 61 existing facilities and 73 new venues.

Saudi Arabia was officially selected to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup during an online convention of Fifa member associations at the Fifa Congress on 11 December 2024.

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