A nickel nanowire catalyst was prepared by a hard template method, and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2 physical adsorption, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and H2 temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR). The catalytic properties of the nanowire catalyst in the partial oxidation of methane to syngas were compared with a metallic Ni catalyst which was prepared with nickel sponge. The characterization results showed that the nickel nanowire catalyst had high specific surface area and there was more NiO phase in the nickel nanowire catalyst than in the metallic Ni catalyst. The reaction results showed that the nickel nanowire catalyst had high CH4 conversion and selectivities for H2 and CO under low space velocity. A nickel nanowire catalyst was prepared by a hard template method, and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2 physical adsorption, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), X-ray diffraction -TPR) The catalytic properties of the nanowire catalyst in the partial oxidation of methane to syngas were compared with a metallic Ni catalyst which was prepared with nickel sponge. The characterization results showed that the nickel nanowire catalyst had high specific surface area and there was The reaction results showed that the nickel nanowire catalyst had high CH4 conversion and selectivities for H2 and CO under low space velocity.