The Federal Government, yesterday, said it had mapped out plans to link the country's major roads to five other countries in West, South and North Africa.

Consequently, the pan-African highway would link Nigeria to five other countries, namely Algeria, Tunisia, Mali, Niger and Chad which are member countries of Trans-Saharan Road Liaison Committee, TRLC.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, who stated this at the opening ceremony of the 65thTRLC in Abuja, said the roads would be upgraded to take the form of dualisation to the member countries.

Fashola said: "I would like to assure this gathering that plans are underway for all major routes in Nigeria that link the trans Sahara route to be upgraded while future road interventions in Nigeria shall take the form of dualisation."

The minister who assured the member nations of the commitment of the present administration, said: "The federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is fully committed to the dualisation of the entire section of the trans-Saharan route in Nigeria."

Fashola, who was represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Abubakar Magaji, added, "other sections of the route from Jebba to Mokwa and up to the border town of Kongolam are being considered for reconstructions and dualisation.

The 65th Session of the Trans-Saharan Liaison Committee further offers member countries the opportunity to strengthen the existing bilateral relations and provide an avenue to assess the extent of work that has been undertaken in ensuring the completion of the Trans Saharan route."

The Secretary-General of TRLC, Mr Mohammad Ayadi, said the three relatively wealthy countries - Nigeria, Algeria and Tunisia - had constructed almost all the totality of their respective sections and were involved in dualising their roads in preparation of the growing traffic on the route.

He said the trans- Sahara highway was expected to be completed in the next three years.