An exhaust gas purification control apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which a NOx storage reduction catalyst is provided in an exhaust system, the exhaust gas purification control apparatus comprising: catalyst temperature acquisition means for acquiring a catalyst temperature of the NOx storage reduction catalyst; air-fuel ratio acquisition means for acquiring an exhaust gas air-fuel ratio upstream of the NOx storage reduction catalyst; NOx storage amount acquisition means for acquiring a NOx storage amount of the NOx storage reduction catalyst; fuel supply means for supplying fuel into exhaust gas upstream of the NOx storage reduction catalyst; and rich spike operation control means, characterized in that: the rich spike operation control means is configured for, when the NOx storage amount exceeds a first threshold and is smaller than or equal to a second threshold larger than the first threshold in a state where the catalyst temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature, carrying out rich spike operation by controlling a fuel supply amount while a target exhaust gas air-fuel ratio upstream of the NOx storage reduction catalyst is set to a predetermined rich air-fuel ratio, and, when the NOx storage amount exceeds the second threshold in a state where the catalyst temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature, carrying out rich spike operation for controlling the fuel supply amount while the target air-fuel ratio is set to a less rich air-fuel ratio that is an air-fuel ratio leaner than the predetermined rich air-fuel ratio. catalyst temperature acquisition means for acquiring a catalyst temperature of the NOx storage reduction catalyst; air-fuel ratio acquisition means for acquiring an exhaust gas air-fuel ratio upstream of the NOx storage reduction catalyst; NOx storage amount acquisition means for acquiring a NOx storage amount of the NOx storage reduction catalyst; fuel supply means for supplying fuel into exhaust gas upstream of the NOx storage reduction catalyst; and rich spike operation control means, characterized in that: the rich spike operation control means is configured for, when the NOx storage amount exceeds a first threshold and is smaller than or equal to a second threshold larger than the first threshold in a state where the catalyst temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature, carrying out rich spike operation by controlling a fuel supply amount while a target exhaust gas air-fuel ratio upstream of the NOx storage reduction catalyst is set to a predetermined rich air-fuel ratio, and, when the NOx storage amount exceeds the second threshold in a state where the catalyst temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature, carrying out rich spike operation for controlling the fuel supply amount while the target air-fuel ratio is set to a less rich air-fuel ratio that is an air-fuel ratio leaner than the predetermined rich air-fuel ratio. the rich spike operation control means is configured for, when the NOx storage amount exceeds a first threshold and is smaller than or equal to a second threshold larger than the first threshold in a state where the catalyst temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature, carrying out rich spike operation by controlling a fuel supply amount while a target exhaust gas air-fuel ratio upstream of the NOx storage reduction catalyst is set to a predetermined rich air-fuel ratio, and, when the NOx storage amount exceeds the second threshold in a state where the catalyst temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature, carrying out rich spike operation for controlling the fuel supply amount while the target air-fuel ratio is set to a less rich air-fuel ratio that is an air-fuel ratio leaner than the predetermined rich air-fuel ratio.