Following the preparatory meeting of six (6) prominent educationists at the instance of Mr. G.N. Enobakhare, and on the invitation of Professor C.O. Taiwo at the Continuing Education Centre, University of Lagos, on Saturday, 16th September, 1984, the Nigerian Academy of Education (NAE)was formed.

A steering committee was set up to, among other things, draft a constitution and present it to the expanded meeting held on 24th November, 1984. At the inauguration meeting of the Academy held on Saturday, 16th February, 1985, the draft constitution was exhaustively discussed and adopted.

The second edition of the Constitution was adopted in 1992. The third edition of the Constitution was the result of an exercise that started in December 2000, recommended in May 2001 and finally approved at the Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 15 November, 2001. The 4th edition of the Constitution was initiated with the formation of a review panel on Thursday, 25th November, 2004; a draft was presented in May, 2005 and approval was given at the Annual General Meeting of Thursday, 5 November 2009.

Following the establishment of a College of Fellows on a motion, by Prof. Mrs. Grace Alele-Williams and supported by Mr. D.C.U. Okoro at the General Meeting held at the NERDC Conference Centre, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos, on 7th May, 2010; and its inauguration at the Board Room, NCCE, Abuja, on 2nd May, 2013, as well as other developments, notice was given at the May General Meeting in Abuja for the amendment of the Constitution at the 28th Annual General Meeting held on Thursday, 7th November, 2013, at the Whyte View Hotel, Awka, Anambra State. It took immediate effect from that day.