Nador West Med Highway: Third Section 95% Complete
The third section of the highway linking Driouch to the Nador West Med port is 95% complete, while the second section has reached only 8% progress.
The third section of the highway linking national road N2 at Driouch to the Nador West Med port has reached 95% completion, according to data released by the National Moroccan Highways Company (ADM), ahead of its imminent opening, as the major port prepares to receive its first ships by the end of 2026.
Third section: 27 km nearing completion
This section spans 27 kilometers, connecting national road N2 to national road N16, just 8 kilometers from the Nador West Med port complex. Ilyas El Mouden, the project owner's representative, said current works involve horizontal and vertical signage as well as final technical and functional preparations ahead of the section's upcoming opening. The works required moving 11 million cubic meters of earth and building 22 engineering structures, including 6 major works for crossing wadis and 16 overpass/underpass structures, using entirely Moroccan expertise (construction firms, engineering offices, technical labs and oversight teams).
Second section still in its early stages
By contrast, progress on the 40-kilometer second section, between national road N2 and Saka, stands at only 8%. This gap means the full highway link to Guercif, spanning roughly 104 kilometers, will not be completed before June 2029, according to statements from the Oriental region's governor last August — more than two years after the port becomes operational.
Key project figures
| Data point | Figure |
|---|---|
| Length of 3rd section (Driouch - N16) | 27 km |
| Completion rate of 3rd section | 95% |
| Length of 2nd section (N2 - Saka) | 40 km |
| Completion rate of 2nd section | 8% |
| Total highway investment cost | MAD 7.8 billion |
| Expected Nador West Med port launch | Q4 2026 |
| Full link to Guercif completion | June 2029 |
Why this project matters
The highway is designed to connect the Nador West Med port, which will launch with an annual capacity of about 5 million containers expandable to 12 million, to the national highway network, easing transport and logistics flows around the port complex. Private investment in the industrial and logistics zones linked to the port had already reached nearly MAD 20 billion by early this year, reflecting the major economic bet the state is placing on this project to turn the Oriental region into a regional logistics and industrial hub.