Ni joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in March 1985, and got involved in politics in July 1993, when he was assigned to the Qingdao Municipal People's Government in east China's Shandong province.

He was transferred to the State Oceanic Administration in July 1998 and two years later rose to become its deputy head.

In March 2003, he joined the National People's Congress Environment and Resources Protection Committee, where he was prompted to vice chairperson in February 2008.

In February 2011, he was transferred to south China's Fujian province and appointed vice governor.

In May 2017, he was promoted to be party branch secretary of the General Administration of Customs, concurrently holding the head position since March 2018.