Nigel Dodds was born on 20 August 1958 to Joseph Alexander and Doreen Dodds. He was educated at Portora Royal School, Enniskillen, and St John's College Cambridge, where he studied law. Dodd was called to the Northern Ireland Bar in 1981. Dodds worked at the Secretariat of the European Parliament from 1984-96.

He was elected to Belfast City Council in 1985 and served until 2010, representing the Democratic Unionist Party.

In 1998, Dodds was elected as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Belfast; he served in the role until 2010. Dodds was the Assembly's Minister of Social Development from 1999-2000, and 2001-2002.

Dodds was elected as an MP for North Belfast in 2001. He was re-elected to the position in 2005, 2010 and 2015. He was appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in 2010.