The German government on Tuesday promised to establish a regional science center to assist ECOWAS countries to combat climate change.

German Ambassador to Nigeria Joachim Schmillen said during the 3rd Task Force Meeting on the establishment of a West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adaptive Land Use (WASCAL) in Abuja that the center would cost 100 million euros.

The envoy said there would also be technical assistant to scientists working in the area of climate change in the region, especially in Nigeria.

The German government would finance the center for the first five years and would provide opportunity for its sustainability, Schmillen said.

Nigeria's Minister of Environment John Odey said the proposed structure of the Center of Competence on Climate Change and Adaptive Land Use would help to improve knowledge and research on climate change.

He added that it would assist in developing the analytical capability on climate change and land resources in the region.

According to Odey, the center will design resilient land use systems and develop measures to conserve and restore healthy ecosystems that would allow sustainable development.

The minister added that the center would also make available to the West African research community, the expertise existing in Germany on climate change and adaptive land management through partnerships.

"The best gift any country can give to another is the tool to enhance its ability to tackle challenges and chart a well defined course for its people to attain their full potential through knowledge sharing, quality research and education," he added.

"It is in this regard that we seek to explore opportunities such as proposed by the German government to strengthen our sub- regional capacity in climate science and services for proactive and informed decision making," he said.

"Nigeria is well endowed with the expertise to serve this center and arrangements have been made to enhance its collaboration with other research centers and universities as well, " Odey said.