The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has unveiled plans to deploy Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage tracking technology across domestic and international terminals as part of efforts to curb the increasing incidence of delayed, misrouted and missing luggage experienced by passengers.
The RFID-enabled baggage tracking system, which will replace the traditional barcode-centric framework, is to grant both airlines and passengers real-time, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) visibility of checked luggage from the point of check-in to final reclaim.
The Director, Public Affairs & Consumer Protection (DPA&CP), Mr Michael Achimugu, made this known at a stakeholder engagement forum in Lagos on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The move, according to Mr Achimugu, is critical to improving baggage traceability, reducing mishandling, strengthening accountability, and enhancing the overall passenger experience, contrasting sharply with traditional barcode systems which slow down real-time baggage tracking.
RFID technology allows bags to be scanned automatically at multiple points without direct line of sight, providing live data from check-in to arrival.
He noted that, for many years now, issues of baggage – short-landed, missing, lost, or destroyed – have remained one of the biggest complaints in the industry; after flight delays.
The introduction of RFID technology at this period aligns with IATA Resolution 753 which mandates tracking of baggage at key point and will play a stronger role in improving baggage handling and passenger confidence.
