Big change at Nigerian airports: NCAA plans real-time luggage tracking on phones

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is pushing to make radio frequency identification (RFID) technology compulsory for baggage tracking at Nigerian airports. The automated system will replace barcode-based processing and allow passengers to track their bags in real time on their phones, from check-in to baggage reclaim.

Michael Achimugu, NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, disclosed the plan during a stakeholder engagement forum on Tuesday. He said baggage-related complaints remain one of the biggest problems for air travellers, ranking behind only flight delays and cancellations.

What the new system will do

According to Achimugu, passengers frequently report bags being left behind, misplaced, lost or damaged. The regulator has therefore decided to introduce automation to strengthen baggage management.

“The technology we are looking to use now is RFID to replace the current technology being used,” he said.

RFID is already deployed in some other countries. Passengers would be able to follow their luggage using mobile phones, including whether bags have moved from check-in to the boarding section and whether they have been loaded onto the aircraft.

“With this technology, it will be instant, and we are even going to cut down seriously on the likelihood of bags being misrouted,” Achimugu said.

The system would also tell passengers where their luggage is if they arrive at their destination without it. Travellers would not need to immediately file a complaint with the airline to get that information.

Faster resolution of missing bags

Achimugu said real-time tracking could substantially shorten the time needed to resolve baggage cases and reduce the risk of luggage being sent to the wrong destination.

Under current rules, airlines can take up to seven days to locate and reconcile missing baggage with passengers. RFID tracking could dramatically cut that period because the location of a missing bag would be available through the system.

The initiative has not formally commenced but is at an advanced stage. The contractor selected for the project has already been introduced to airlines, and discussions are ongoing on how the technology will work with the different systems used by carriers.

The NCAA is also reviewing its regulations with a view to making automated baggage tracking compulsory for all airlines operating in Nigeria.

What it means for travellers

For Nigerian air passengers, this means fewer lost bags, quicker answers when luggage goes missing, and less time spent queuing at airline counters. For airlines, it could reduce compensation claims and improve service quality as the NCAA moves to enforce the system.