[1] He attended the Omsk Agricultural Institute and then the Higher Party School at the CPSU Central Committee and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.

[1] Nikitin worked as senior engineer until 1976 when he was appointed chairman of the Tyumen Oblast.

[1][2] In 1985, he became minister of agriculture and then first deputy chairman of the state agroindustrial committee, Gosagroprom.

[4] He was also appointed chairman of the state commission for food and purchasing, becoming the first executive of the body.

[3] He was fired by Gorbachev on 31 August 1990 due to cigarette shortage which caused demonstrations in Moscow.