The things that cause Sleep Apnoea do so by increasing the normal narrowing of the throat during sleep. Anything that makes the throat narrower to start with (for example enlarged tonsils or a set-back lower jaw) means that it is easy for the throat to close off a bit more and block the airway.
A partially blocked nose generates lower pressures in the throat whilst taking a breath in, which tends to suck the walls of the throat together.
Probably the most important factor is being overweight with a big neck. Extra fat in the nexk squashes the throat from outside, particularly when the throat muscles become floppier with sleep.