Petroleum company Vivo Energy, which operates the Shell and Engen brands in 23 African countries, has proceeded with a $21.5m (R320m) shareholder payout, saying it has seen a robust recovery for retail fuel demand, while the effects of a third wave in Africa have so far been limited.

A sharp rebound from mobility restrictions in 2020 helped prompt an 18% year-on-year rise in revenue to $3.99bn in the  six months to end-June 2021, when core profit rose 57% to $220m, which is 4% above pre-pandemic levels...