NCAA moves to roll out RFID baggage tracking across Nigerian airports

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has held a stakeholders’ meeting with domestic airlines, ground handlers, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to finalise plans for the adoption of Radio Frequency Identification baggage tagging, a move it says will transform how passenger luggage is tracked at the country’s airports.

Speaking at the meeting, the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs, Mike Achimugu, said the technology would enable passengers to monitor their bags in real time from check-in through to arrival at their final destination. He noted that baggage mishandling ranks among the top passenger complaints, after flight delays, with misrouting and short-landing being the most common issues.

RFID works by fitting each bag with a tag containing a microchip and antenna that transmits location data via radio waves. Unlike the existing barcode system, which requires a direct line of sight and a scanner to read a printed label, RFID readers can pick up multiple tags simultaneously even when bags are stacked, moving along belts, or loaded into cargo holds. That eliminates the errors that occur when tags are twisted, torn, or obscured during handling.

According to Achimugu, the system would catch mistakes before they happen. Readers positioned at conveyor belts and ramp loaders would flag misrouted bags before they are loaded onto an aircraft, significantly reducing the chances of a bag meant for Kano being sent to Lagos.

The technology also promises a faster resolution when bags go missing. Instead of a week-long manual search, RFID would allow airlines to locate a bag instantly. Passengers would be able to track their luggage through an app, confirming when it enters the sorting belt, when it is loaded onto the aircraft, and when it arrives at the destination.

Achimugu said that app would also change how passengers report problems. Rather than filing a vague complaint, travelers could tell the airline exactly where their bag was last scanned. “If you’ve landed in Lagos, but your bag is in Enugu, you can tell them specifically,” he said.

The initiative has the backing of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who has authorised agencies to evaluate the technology and report back. Achimugu confirmed that stakeholders have reached a general consensus to proceed, despite the system being new to the Nigerian market.

FAAN is leading the technical implementation in collaboration with the NCAA, which is also reviewing civil aviation regulations with a view to making RFID tracking mandatory for all airlines operating in Nigeria, rather than leaving adoption optional.

Integration with airline operating systems is ongoing, and a contract for the project is expected to be finalised soon. The NCAA said it is targeting the commencement of operations before the end of the year, though it has not yet released a rollout schedule or specified which airports or routes will be first.