[2] Nqola spent stints as an office administrator, as a civil servant in the Engcobo Local Municipality, and as a regional organiser for the ANC in the Eastern Cape.
After his LLB graduation and before he became a full-time politician, he was a candidate attorney at Makangela Mntungani Incorporated in Mthatha and Litha Madikizela and Company in Ngcobo.
He appeared seventh on the ANC's party list for the Eastern Cape constituency and qualified for a seat in the National Assembly, the lower house of the South African Parliament.
[10][11] On 7 December 2023, Nqola was elected as co-chairperson of the Joint Constitutional Review Committee, which is tasked with conducting an annual review of the South African Constitution; his co-chairperson was Enock Mthethwa of the National Council of Provinces, and he was elected to replace Mathole Motshekga, the former chairperson from the National Assembly.
[21] On 29 June 2023, the day before the elective conference opened, Mbalula fired Nqola as league convenor, removing him from the NYTT altogether.
[22] Mbalula's letter, which was leaked to the press, accused Nqola of "gross ill-discipline and defiance" in connection with the league's recent provincial elective conference in the Eastern Cape.
[26] Mbalula denied this account,[27][28] but it was repeated by a group of seven NYTT members in a subsequent protest against the conduct of the elective conference;[29] it was also reportedly raised by Mondli Gungubele and Enoch Godongwana during an ANC National Executive Committee meeting.