In 1961, with the outbreak of the War of Independence, Nascimento was forced to enter exile in Lisbon. Whilst in Portugal, he did pastoral work, served as a to the Movement of Teams of Our Lady, and studied civil law at the Classical University. Upon returning to Angola in 1971, he taught moral theology at the Pius XII Institute of Social Sciences, and served as an official of the archdiocesan curia of Lubango, secretary general of the Angolan Cáritas, and special assistant to students and former political prisoners.