Dubai is a city defined by its bold vision for sustainability and connectivity.
As the Middle East continues its rapid transformation, the emirate sets a global benchmark for urban innovation, with mobility and smart payments at its core.
To further streamline the mobility experience, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) introduced the nolPay platform—a city-wide payment system designed to unify and simplify how residents and visitors pay for transportation services.
For Lime— a leading global provider of shared electric vehicles and a key player in Dubai’s growing green transport offering— integrating with nolPay was not just an opportunity to align with Dubai’s vision, but also a regulatory necessity.
Recognizing this integration's technical complexity, Lime turned to Primer for support. We spoke with Jad Antoun, Lime’s General Manager for the Middle East, to learn more about Lime’s rapid regional growth, its unique payment challenges, and how Primer helped it begin offering NolPay in Dubai.
Jad, can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your role at Lime?
I’m the General Manager for Lime in the Middle East, overseeing operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar.
A significant part of my role involves maintaining a strong relationship with the government, particularly the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai. Operating a scooter business here requires ongoing regulatory approvals, and we work closely with the RTA to align with their ambitious vision to build a more connected, sustainable city.
Lime is a familiar sight in cities globally, but can you tell us about your growth in the Middle East?
Lime has seen tremendous growth in the region. I joined in April, but since 2022, we’ve grown exponentially year-on-year in terms of number of users and trips. This reflects the region’s shift toward more carbon-conscious, sustainable transportation options.
We currently operate around 900 scooters in Dubai and about 350 each in Abu Dhabi and Doha. Our key focus is partnering with the RTA to align with their expanding bike lane network and city-wide connectivity projects. Our goal is to make Lime an integral part of people’s daily commutes, particularly for first and last-mile journeys.
Payments in the Middle East are evolving rapidly, transitioning from a cash-based economy to a more digital-first ecosystem. What has this shift meant for Lime?
Lime is an app-based, cashless business, and Dubai is one of the best markets for digital payments thanks to its high card penetration and low fraud rates.
However, the RTA recently announced that all transportation providers must offer nolPay.
The goal of nolPay is to create a seamless transportation experience. For example, a person might take the metro and then use a Lime scooter for the last mile to their destination. Integrating nolPay ensures users can transition effortlessly between these modes of transport, supporting the city’s broader connectivity goals.
The challenge was that integrating nolPay was technically complex. That’s when we turned to Primer.
How did Primer help Lime meet the RTA’s requirements?
Primer was invaluable throughout the process. The RTA was new to this integration, and we navigated unfamiliar territory. Primer acted as an expert, guiding both us and the RTA through the process.
The Primer team simplified the technical language, helped us understand the milestones we needed to hit, and resolved roadblocks efficiently.
Primer proved it could handle technical complexity and deliver real value, ensuring we met regulatory requirements while focusing on what we do best—providing sustainable micro-mobility solutions.
If other cities mandate similar integrations, I see a strong case for collaborating with Primer again.
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