Philip graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1990 with a degree in Human Medicine (MB,BS), and went on to work for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). In 1994 he left NNPC to work for National Oil & Chemical Marketing Plc (a Shell JV) as a Medical Officer. He further studied Occupational & Environmental Medicine at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and underwent training and attachments in various Shell refineries and petrochemical plants in the UK, France and The Netherlands, rising to the position of Chief Medical Officer and Corporate Health Safety and Environment Adviser. He also obtained a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the IESE Business School of the University of Navarra, Spain in 2000. Subsequently he joined Shell Nigeria Oil Products working for Shell Health Services as the Regional Health Adviser for Africa. In this position he oversaw the management of all health and related matters for Shell downstream (retail, marine, aviation, LPG, manufacturing, consumer & industrial) and chemicals businesses in 35 African countries.

​

In 2004 he left the medical practice to work as Regional (Business) Adviser for Africa in the International Directorate of Royal Dutch Shell in The Hague, The Netherlands. In this position he provided cross-business and country advice to the Regional Managing Directors of Shell on African matters.  He also served briefly as the Private Assistant to the Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell.

​

He subsequently moved to the Gas & Power business where he worked in LNG Business Development as the Planning & Integration Manager, and subsequently as a Commercial Manager. Subsequently he worked as the Project Development Manager on various Gas & Power projects. In 2009 he joined an industry team to evaluate the Nigerian Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), as the gas subject matter expert.

​

In 2010 Philip was appointed as the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Gas Ltd, a natural gas distribution company that builds and operates pipeline networks in Lagos, Aba and Port Harcourt areas of Nigeria, supplying natural gas to over 60 industrial and commercial customers.

Philip became the General Manager for Sustainable Development and Community Relations in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria from January 2012, overseeing social performance, sustainable development, social investment, community relations and relations with the state governments in the Niger Delta. Most recently he was appointed as the Regional Communications Manager for West Africa.