The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is ushering in a new era of security and efficiency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, with the deployment of advanced screening technologies, e-gate systems, and a renewed inter-agency collaboration framework aimed at modernizing Nigeria’s aviation environment.
The agency has deployed a state-of-the-art security screening system, the Orion 928DX, described as one of the most advanced technologies in global aviation security.
The highly sophisticated equipment combines artificial intelligence with real-time threat detection capabilities, is already redefining the way baggage is screened at the country’s busiest airport. These machines it is a higher upgrade of the old analogue. This comes with crystal-clear digital displays.
Head of ICT at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Chima Ogechukwu-Juliet, while conducting journalists to inspection of the facility over the weekend disclosed that the machines were installed just two months ago. He added that the Orion 928DX boasts a range of smart features designed to detect narcotics, explosives, organic materials, and undeclared currency with astonishing accuracy.
At the heart of its capability is the SP4 — Spectrum 4 Color Imaging — which enhances visual clarity and speeds up the detection process.
As luggage passes through the machine, it performs real-time scanning, quickly flagging suspicious content and highlighting it clearly on screen. The system shows you exactly where the threat is located.
With narcotics and explosives, it instantly detects, targets, and provides a clear image using its Narscan technology. Unlike earlier systems that could detect one threat at a time, the Orion 928DX handles simultaneous scans, detecting both explosives and narcotics in real time.
Its integrated algorithm also allows it to adapt and absorb future upgrades, a feature many older systems lack. “This machine can evolve with new technologies. It’s designed to grow,” she said. The system also includes a dual-mode auto-set feature for detecting organic substances, such as agricultural products, often concealed in luggage.
It identifies them through two scanning modes, range and interactive, enabling security personnel to isolate specific pixels and trace their origins within the bag.
It even goes a step further by detecting currency when travelers carry more than permitted. “It won’t tell you it’s naira, but it will highlight the excess.
You then investigate and confirm the currency type,” she added. Since installation, the airport has trained 12 staff members, a mix of users and technical support personnel, through a rigorous programme facilitated by the equipment manufacturer in the UK. It was a train-the-trainer approach. Now we continue training and retraining our teams to ensure optimal performance,” she said.
MMA currently operates six Orion 928DX machines and four Orion 927DX systems, with plans to receive four more units in the coming weeks. According to Ogechukwu-Juliet, the upgrade is also ongoing at other international airports across the country, including Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
