The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced plans to introduce Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to track passengers’ checked-in luggage across Nigerian airports.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this on Tuesday following a stakeholder meeting with domestic airlines, aviation service providers and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in Lagos.
According to Achimugu, the stakeholders met to finalise plans for the migration from the existing baggage tagging system to RFID technology.
The proposed system will allow passengers to track the location of their checked-in luggage in real time, from the point of check-in until it arrives at their destination.
The NCAA said the technology is expected to help address recurring baggage-related challenges, including missing, misrouted and short-landed bags, while also improving the handling of passengers’ complaints.
Achimugu described baggage issues as one of the major complaints among air travellers, noting that passengers have continued to experience cases involving luggage that is delayed, missing, lost or damaged.
With RFID technology, baggage can be identified and tracked at different stages of the airport handling process, providing airlines and passengers with greater visibility of luggage movements.
The planned migration forms part of efforts by the aviation authorities and industry stakeholders to improve passenger experience and strengthen baggage management at Nigerian airports.
The NCAA is the regulatory authority responsible for overseeing Nigeria’s aviation industry, including safety, security and economic regulation.
Further details on the implementation timeline and specific airports to be covered are expected as the NCAA and relevant aviation stakeholders finalise the rollout.
