The Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC) is one of the oldest services in the Nigerian Army. Its history dates back to days of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) which had an Education Arm/Corps headed by a Chief Education Officer (CEO) based in Teshie, Gold Coast (now Ghana). The significance of literacy in the Army was realized during the Second World War when it was difficult for the British Commanders to communicate effectively with African troops in English Language. This often resulted in heavy casualties. It also led to greater attention on the literacy of African soldiers in the RWAFF on their return from Burma Campaign in 1945. Functional literacy cadres began to be organized for those who could neither read nor write in English. The recruitment of literate civilians into the army as education instructors also began. Soldiers of the RWAFF who attained some level of proficiency and passed their tests in spoken and written English were awarded the ‘E’ badge. This was usually attached to their jackets and they were paid some language proficiency allowance.

There was also the School of Education and Clerical Training established in the early forties at Yaba, Lagos. This was relocated to Teshie, Gold Coast in 1945 and later renamed West African Army School of Education and it became then West African Army School of Infantry and Education (WAASIE). In 1956, the 5 battalions of the Nigerian Regiment and the supporting services became known as the Nigerian Military Forces (NMF). When it became apparent that the Gold Coast would be an independent nation by 1957, the Military Forces of the 4 British colonies of the Gambia, Sierra-Leone, Gold Coast and Nigeria, which constituted the RWAFF, became independent of each other. Each of the 5 battalions of the NMF had a Unit Education Officer (UEO) that ran literacy courses in 3 stages, namely; Stage I, Stage II and Stage III. These were later redesignated Army Certificate of Education (ACE) I, II, and III courses.

By 1959, each of the 2 brigades of the Nigerian Army, 1^st Brigade at Kaduna and 2^nd Brigade in Lagos had UEOs with the CEO at the Army Headquarters. Between 1960 and 1964, when the Nigerian contingent was in the UN Operations in Congo, Education Instructors were also represented. Apart from running education cadres for troops in the Congo, the Education Corps was responsible for the regular editing and publication of a news bulletin titled Bush Telegraph for Nigerian troops serving in the Congo.

 In 1960, the Royal Nigerian Military Training College (RNMTC) later known as the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC), Nigerian Army School of Infantry and now Infantry Centre and School (ICS) was established to train education instructors,clerks and infantry personnel, and there was a well organized Education Wing at the College.

The first group of Education officers and instructors in the Nigerian Military Educational Services (NMES) were from the Royal Army Education Corps (RAEC). Hence, the first CEO of the Royal Nigerian Army (RNA) from 1960-62 was an expatriate, Maj PL Rice of the Royal Army Education Corps (RAEC). He was succeeded by another expatriate Maj RH Webb from October 1962 to August 1964. The process of the Nigerianization of the Nigerian Army Education Corps started in August, 1964 with the appointment of Captain CM George as Acting CEO. He was succeeded in September of the same year by Lt-Col O Olutoye, who was a combatant officer. In 1970, Nigerian Army School of Education (NASE) was established to run corps courses, languages (English, French and Arabic), and instructional technology courses for personnel of NAEC and other corps and services of the Nigerian Army.