Ningura Napurrula was born c. 1938 at Watulka, Western Australia , south of Kiwirrkurra.  Ningura was married to Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungarrayi, who became one of the founding Papunya Tula artists and a champion of the aboriginal art movement.  Yala Yala's half brothers George Ward Tjungarrayi and Willie Tjungarrayi are also noted artists as is one of her co-wives, Yinarupa Nangala.  Ningura's first contact with Western society was in 1962 when she and Yala Yala brought their family to Papunya. By 1963, they had moved permanently to the settlement.

In the 1980s Ningura moved with Yala Yala and their family to Kintore where she started helping with the background dotting on Yala Yala's artwork, collaboration being a common practice with aboriginal artists.  In 1995, as part of the Kintore/Haasts Bluff women's painting project, she started doing her own artwork. This was at the same time other senior Pintupi women such as Makinti Napangka started to paint.

Ningura has gradually evolved into one of the leading women aboriginal artists.  In 2002, one of her works was used by Australia Post on its $1.10 stamp.  In 2006, she was bestowed the honour of being chosen as the leading female exponent of desert art when included as one of only eight Australian aboriginal artists represented in the Musee du quai Branly, the famous Parisian museum dedicated to indigenous art. Ningura status was further emphasised when the museum decided to have her work superimposed on the ceiling of the building's administrative section.

Ningura's paintings are characterized by their heavy application of dotting, achieving an almost 3D effect on the canvas. As well as the Musee du quai Branly, Ningura is represented in major public galleries Australia wide.