Ogō Nobuaki served as a bushō and retainer of the Kuroda clan during the Sengku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods.  As a retainer of the Kuroda clan, he was included among a group of retainers called the Twenty-Four Elite of the Kuroda. 

The Ogō were a branch of the Washio clan of Settsu Province, while Nobuaki came from the village of Ōgo in the Miki District of Harima Province.  His father was Ogō Yoshinao, and his older brother, Ogō Yoshitoshi, served the Kodera clan of Harima.  Yoshitoshi was a senior retainer of the Kodera, while Nobuaki was initially one of their retainers.

Nobuaki was born in the Yatabe District of Settsu, working as a servant for the Kuroda family.  In 1570, he deployed for his first battle, and, in 1578, signed an oath when Kuroda Yoshitaka was confined in Arioka Castle.  In this event, however, his father and older brother who supported the Kodera became opposed to Hashiba Hideyoshi.

In 1587, Nobuaki made significant contributions in the attack on Takanabe Castle in Hyūga Province during the Pacification of Kyūshū.  That same year, the Kuroda clan relocated to Uma-ga-dake Castle in Buzen Province of northern Kyūshū.  Nobuaki joined Mori Tomonobu to attack the Kii clan of Akahata Castle in Buzen who resisted governance by the Toyotomi administration.  Yamada Hitachi-no-suke, lord of Ōmura Castle, disobeyed orders regarding the construction of Nakatsu Castle and the waiver of special privileges, whereupon, in 1588, Nobuaki called him to Nakatsu Castle and had him assassinated.  Nobuaki then attacked and captured Ōmura, Yamada, and Kakuda castles.  Thereafter, Nobuaki was awarded a fief of 5,000 koku while serving as chamberlain of Uma-ga-dake Castle.

In 1592, Nobuaki participated in the Bunroku-Keichō Campaign, during which forces dispatched by Toyotomi Hideyoshi launched attacks on the Korean Peninsula.  Nobuaki deployed upon orders of Kuroda Nagamasa after Nagamasa inherited the role as head of the clan from his father, Kuroda Yoshitaka.  Early in 1593, Nobuaki desperately defended Ryūsen Castle.  He was praised by Konishi Yukinaga as the bravest Japanese warrior.  After news of Nobuaki’s efforts reached Hideyoshi at Nagoya Castle, Hideyoshi ordered Nobuaki to quickly return, pledging to immediately reward him with a fief of 10,000 koku from the territory of Myōken Ryūō in Buzen Province.  Nobuaki soon headed toward Japan, but died of illness en route in Waniura of Tsushima Province.

Nobuaki was succeeded by his son-in-law, Ogō Yukinao.  A family member named Ogō Masayoshi opened a quarry on Mount Komatsu near the town of Manazuru in Sagami Province for construction of the main citadel and base of the tower for Edo Castle.