A prominent member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in the state of Kelantan, he served as the fourth Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of the Malaysian Parliament.

He joined the Kelantan civil service under the British colonial administration in 1930 and served as State Secretary from 1934 to 1938, succeeding his uncle.

From 1946 to 1948, during the Malayan Union period, Nik Ahmad Kamil served as Deputy Resident Commissioner in Kelantan under the new system of government.

[3] When the Malayan Union was finally dissolved in 1948, Nik Ahmad Kamil continued as Menteri Besar of Kelantan under the new Federation of Malaya until 1953.

Nik Ahmad Kamil joined the 1956 Merdeka Delegation led by the Tunku to London as one of four representatives of the Malay rulers.

[3] Nik Ahmad Kamil returned to contest the 1964 general election and won the Kota Bharu Hilir parliamentary seat in Kelantan.

Nik Ahmad Kamil suffered a heart attack while carrying out his duties in the Parliament building on 19 December 1977.