What’s fuelling Africa’s economic growth? Well, it’s fuel, partly. Whether you’re talking shipments of commodities overseas, or imported goods being snapped up by middle class Africans, the stuff mostly gets moved by truck on rough roads – and for that you need petrol.

That rising demand is one reason why a unit of Trafigura, a commodities trader, has agreed to pay $296m for BP’s petrol station and supply businesses in parts of southern Africa.