EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Yango’s Big Vision for Oman

From its partnership with OTaxi to Arabic-language assistant Yasmina AI, Yango is shaping its Oman strategy around local needs. In this interview with OERLive, Islam Abdul Karim Regional Head, Yango Group Middle East, discusses inclusive mobility, opportunities for female drivers and how digital services can contribute to the Sultanate’s Vision 2040 ambitions.

For Yango, developing digital services in Oman involves understanding how people travel, access entertainment and interact with technology, alongside the practical support they need to use these services confidently. Its approach combines international experience with local partnerships, while recognising that training, safety and data protection are integral to building lasting trust.

The conversation explores how these priorities inform the company’s work in the Sultanate of Oman, what it is learning from its initiatives and where it sees opportunities to bring greater convenience and choice to consumers and businesses.

Q1. Yango has been expanding its presence across Oman as demand for convenient and technology-enabled mobility continues to grow. What opportunities do you see in Oman’s evolving mobility landscape, and how might the market develop over the next few years?

Oman’s mobility needs differ across communities and cities. We see an opportunity for technology to make journeys more convenient and help passengers, drivers, and mobility providers connect more efficiently.

Our work with OTaxi is one example of how Yango’s technology can support an established local mobility service. It reflects our view that mobility should be shaped around local needs rather than built on a single model.

Over the next few years, we expect digital services to play a growing role in how people access mobility. Our focus is on listening to users and local partners, and developing services that respond to what they need.

Q2. Yango’s presence in Oman extends beyond ride-hailing. How is the company developing its broader range of digital services to meet consumers’ changing needs?

We look at technology in terms of the everyday needs it can address. In Oman, our services include Yango Play for entertainment and Yasmina AI, a voice-based AI experience designed for Arabic-speaking users. Across our wider business, we also work in areas such as navigation, logistics, food delivery, and enterprise services.

Each service needs to be useful in its own right and relevant to the people who use it. That means bringing experience and technology from different markets while adapting services to local preferences and needs.

We will continue to explore where our capabilities can offer practical value to consumers and businesses in Oman.

Q3. As Oman advances its digital transformation agenda under Vision 2040, how is Yango working with local institutions and communities to contribute?

Technology is most useful when it responds to the needs of the people and institutions it serves. In Oman, we aim to work with local partners to understand those needs and identify practical ways our technology can help.

Our work with OTaxi brings Yango’s technology together with an established local mobility service. We have also worked with the Ministry of Social Development on a pilot involving female drivers.

These initiatives reflect our approach to digital transformation: technology can help services work more effectively and create new ways for people to participate in the economy. Oman Vision 2040 sets priorities for digital transformation, economic diversification, and human capital development. We see an opportunity to contribute by building services in collaboration with local stakeholders.

Q4. What have you learned from the initiative exploring women-only transportation and onboarding female drivers? How can technology support more inclusive mobility for women in Oman?

The initiative has highlighted that access to a digital platform is only one part of creating more inclusive mobility. Training, support, and an understanding of local needs also matter.

We have been working with the Ministry of Social Development to explore how technology might support women as passengers and as potential partner drivers. For those who choose to become partner drivers, digital platforms can offer another way to participate in the mobility sector, with flexibility in how they work.

We are continuing to learn from the experiences of participants. Their feedback can help inform how services develop in Oman. Ultimately, we aim to support greater choice in ways that reflect local needs.

Q5. What role could AI play in Omani households, and how is Yasmina AI being adapted for local users?

For AI to be useful in everyday life, people need to be able to interact with it naturally. For Arabic-speaking users, that includes understanding the language and the context in which people use it.

Yasmina AI is designed as a voice-based experience for Arabic-speaking users. We see potential uses ranging from asking questions and having conversations to support with everyday routines and entertainment.

AI is still evolving, and user feedback can help us understand what people find useful and where the experience can improve. We aim to make the technology accessible and relevant to people in Oman.

Q6. How is Yango approaching safety, data protection, and responsible technology as its services grow?

Trust depends on people feeling confident in the services they use. In mobility, our platforms include features intended to support users during a journey, such as trip information sharing, digital trip records, and access to support.

We also take the handling and protection of user information seriously. As our services develop, we believe responsible technology must account for both what a service can do and how it affects the people who use it.

Safety, privacy, and user confidence are part of building services that people can rely on over time.

Q7. Where do you see the greatest potential for new technology-driven services in Oman, and which needs may be underserved?

We see potential where technology can make everyday services easier to access and help businesses operate more efficiently. Mobility and logistics are areas where better coordination can improve the experience for both consumers and service providers. We also see opportunities to make AI experiences more useful for Arabic-speaking users.

The opportunity is not limited to individual services. Technology can also help businesses, institutions, and consumers work together more effectively. The right opportunities will depend on understanding local needs and working with the people and organisations closest to them.

Our approach is to focus on practical value and adapt what we offer to Oman, as the country continues its digital transformation.