In a regulatory push to eliminate increasing luggage delays and missing baggage across domestic and international terminals, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is preparing to mandate Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage tracking technology across Nigerian airports.
The automated system will replace the traditional barcode-centric framework, granting both airlines and passengers real-time, non-line-of-sight visibility of checked luggage from the point of check-in to final reclaim.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement forum on Tuesday, Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, emphasised that baggage-related complaints remain one of the most frustrating pain points for Nigerian travelers, secondary only to flight delays and cancellations.
‘For many years now, one of the biggest complaints in the industry has been that of baggage, it’s either passengers’ bags have been short-landed, missing, lost, or destroyed,’ Achimugu said.
‘After delayed flights, baggage issues are the biggest problem. So what we’ve decided to do is improve the system by automating it. The technology we are looking to use now is RFID to replace the current technology being used.’
Traditional barcodes require ground handlers to manually align a laser scanner with a printed paper tag on every luggage. If a tag is twisted, torn, dirty, or obscured, the scanner fails to read it.
RFID tags, by contrast, embed a tiny microchip and antenna that broadcast location data via radio waves. Scanners can instantly read multiple tags through containers, baggage belts, and cargo holds without needing a direct line-of-sight.
RFID reader mounted on conveyor belts and ramp loaders automatically flag misrouted items before they enter the hold, making it virtually impossible to accidentally load a bag bound for Kano onto a Lagos-bound aircraft.
‘Standard regulations allow airlines up to seven days to locate and reconcile short-landed baggage with domestic travelers. With RFID tracking, missing or misrouted luggage can be identified and located instantly,’ Achimugu explained.
A central component of the rollout is a dedicated mobile application designed to put tracking data directly into the hands of travellers.
Through the app, passengers can monitor their bag’s exact progression in real time, confirm that baggage has entered the sorting belt, monitor updates as the bag reaches the foot of the aircraft and is stowed in the cargo hold and see live status confirming when the luggage arrives at the carousel.
‘Even while you have boarded, you can check to be sure that your bag is on that flight,’ Achimugu explained.
‘And if for any unforeseen circumstance your bag has not landed with you, you can tell even without complaining to the airline where your bag is. So when you call to complain, you can tell them specifically, ‘I’ve landed in Lagos, but my bag is in Enugu.’
While the technical implementation is being driven in collaboration with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as the infrastructure owner, the NCAA is currently reviewing civil aviation regulations to make automated RFID tracking mandatory for all airlines operating within Nigerian airspace.
Integration with various airline operating systems is already underway, with the contract expected to be finalized shortly and operations targeted to commence before the end of the year.