LONACI PROMOTES PMU BETTING AT INAUGURAL JACQUELINE OUÉGNIN GRAND PRIX AS SIX COUNTRIES COMPETE IN GRAND-BASSAM
Côte d’Ivoire -National Lottery Operator (LONACI) has promoted PMU betting at a major horse-racing event. It partnered with the Ivorian Equestrian Federation for the occasion. The event was the inaugural Grand Prix international Jacqueline Ouégnin. It took place in Grand-Bassam on October 10, 2026.
Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) is a form of horse-race betting. LONACI wanted to bring it closer to racing fans. The municipality of Grand-Bassam also helped the federation organise the event, according to FratMat.
Five Races Bring Six Countries Together
The competition featured five races. Horses and jockeys came from six countries. These were Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo. As a result, the event had a strong regional flavour.
Bettors Show Strong Interest
LONACI reported strong interest from bettors in a statement. Its sellers were overwhelmed by demand. Several betting pools also had more than four winners. One of them was linked to the race named after LONACI Director General Dramane Coulibaly.
Dosso Vaguia, head of PMU at LONACI, praised the event’s organisation. He said it had improved compared with previous events.
Race Results and Prizes
The race dedicated to Coulibaly ran over 1,800 metres. It carried a prize of FCFA1.2m (US$2,050). A separate fund of FCFA1m (US$1,710) was also on offer. Côte d’Ivoire won this race.
Burkina Faso won the opening race. Next, Ivorian jockeys took the following three races. Then Benin claimed the main Grand Prix international Jacqueline Ouégnin. That race ran over 2,400 metres. It carried a FCFA5m (US$8,540) prize allocation. Winning jockey Ibrahim Dicko received FCFA3m (US$5,120).
LONACI Aims to Grow Horse Racing
LONACI said the partnership has two aims. It wants to promote PMU betting. It also wants to develop horse racing in Côte d’Ivoire and the wider sub-region.
The event drew nearly 3,000 spectators. Together, the crowd and the betting demand showed real appetite for the sport.
Grand Prix Honours Jacqueline Ouégnin
The federation named the Grand Prix after Jacqueline Ouégnin. She was the late wife of Ambassador Georges François Ouégnin. She supported the development of equestrian sports in Côte d’Ivoire. The federation chose the name to recognise her contribution.
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