NEMA was inaugurated on Feb. 22 1982, following three years of recommendations from WEF Missions Commission in 1979, proposals by Panya Baba to Nigeria Evangelical Fellowship in 1980 and discussions at National Congress on Evangelization in 1981.

At the commencement of its ministry later that year, six missions agencies, including Evangelical Missionary Society of ECWA, Calvary Ministries (CAPRO), His Grace Evangelical Movement (HIGEM), Christ Ambassador Evangelical Movement (CAET), Christian Missionary Foundation (CMF), and Community Missions Board of COCIN were among the founding member agencies. Rev. Panya Baba became the founding chairman and served for seven years.

NEMA did not have a full time Chief Executive Officer nor a functional Secretariat until the appointment of the first Executive Secretary, Timothy Olonade in January 2001 and the opening of the National Secretariat in June that same year in Jos.

NEMA was indeed blessed in its first 18 years with the crop of its elected and co-opted officers who willingly serve the Association with massive ministry input.

NEMA presently functions through its many Task Forces Commissions, and Networks, its governed by an elected Executive Committee headed by the National Chairman and led in its day to day operation and direction by the Executive Secretary who is assisted by a Management Team.