The creation of the group was announced on January 25, 2015 on the final, fifth day of a traditional series of AKB48 concerts entitled AKB48 Request Hour Setlist Best 1035 2015.

[3][10][11] The group's members are part of the cast of a television series adaptation of Higurashi When They Cry,[12] which was premiered from May 20 on BS Sky PerfecTV!.

In 2018, Noe Yamada and Rena Hasegawa participated in the South Korean competition show Produce 48, representing NGT48.

Following Maho Yamaguchi's alleged assault, during a press conference on March 29, 2019, the city of Niigata announced that they were cutting ties with NGT48 effective April,[20] including ending their radio show, "Port de NGT.

On May 21, 2019, Minami Kato was demoted to kenkyūsei after posting an Instagram story of Yamaguchi's graduation with the caption, "I'm doing my nails over here.

[32] After seven months of inactivity, the group had its first concert on August 3, 2019, at the Tokyo Idol Festival, with plans to resume activity in the fall.