He is famous for co-designing the Eiffel Tower, built 1887–1889 for the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris, France, the Garabit viaduct, the highest in the world at the time,[citation needed] near Ruynes-en-Margeride, Cantal, France, and the Faidherbe Bridge over the Sénégal River in Senegal.

The two engineers consulted Stephen Sauvestre, head of the architectural division of the Eiffel company, who added embellishments including the decorative arches of the base and the glazed pavilion on the first level.

The proposal was put before Eiffel, who approved the project, and presented it to the French Minister for Trade and Industry.

He continued to work on many important projects, including: He died, at the age of 57, on 23 November 1897, three months before the Saint-Bernard Bridge in Paris was officially opened.

Émile Nouguier is a main character in the 2016 novel To Capture What We Cannot Keep by British author Beatrice Colin.