A new class of nonlinear PID controllers is derived for nonlinear systems using a nonlinear generalised predictive control (NGPC) approach. First, the disturbance decoupling ability of the NGPC is discussed. For a nonlinear system where the disturbance cannot be decoupled, a nonlinear observer is designed to estimate the offset. By selecting the nonlinear gain function in the observer, it is shown that the closed-loop system under optimal generalised predictive control with the nonlinear observer is asymptotically stable. It is pointed out that this composite controller is equivalent to a nonlinear controller with integral action. As a special case, for a nonlinear system with a low relative degree, the proposed nonlinear controller reduces to a nonlinear PI or PID predictive controller, which consists of a nonlinear PI or PID controller and a prediction controller. The design method is illustrated by an example nonlinear mechanical system.