A　new　micro-nanostructured　composite　(NOMC-Ni@NCNTs)　of　Ni-encapsulated　and　N-doped　carbon　nanotubes　(Ni@NCNTs)　pinned　on　N-doped　ordered　mesoporous　carbon　(NOMC)　is　constructed　by　a　two-step　synthesis　strategy.　The　strategy　involves　the　self-assembly　preparation　of　water-soluble　phenolic　resin/F127　colloid　by　a　hydrothermal　route　and　the　subsequent　catalytic　pyrolysis　of　as-prepared　phenolic　resin/F127　copolymer　and　melamine　with　nickel　acetate　as　Ni　source　and　self-generated　catalyst,　leading　to　the　in　situ　growth　of　dispersive　Ni@NCNTs　pinned　on　NOMC　through　the　Ni　junction.　In　the　resultant　NOMC-Ni@NCNTs,　the　NOMC　shows　reduced　particle　size　and　shortened　mesopore　channel　length　of　15–30　μm　compared　to　850　μm-2　mm　of　pristine　NOMC.　The　pinned　Ni@NCNTs　constructs　a　3D　conductive　scaffold　in　the　composite　and　the　conductivity　is　correspondingly　raised　from　20.4　S　cm−1　of　pristine　NOMC　to　254.1　S　cm−1　of　NOMC-Ni@NCNTs.　The　particle　size,　mesoporosity　and　surface　area　of　NOMC-Ni@NCNTs　composite　are　also　flexibly　regulated　by　tailoring　the　relative　content　of　Ni@NCNTs　and　NOMC.　The　new-structured　NOMC-Ni@NCNTs　composites　are　developed　as　counter　electrode　(CE)　materials　for　DSSCs,　which　demonstrates　an　excellent　catalytic　activity　towards　I3-　reduction.　The　optimum　NOMC-Ni@NCNTs　CE　delivers　a　low　charge-transfer　resistance　of　2.21　Ω　and　the　assembled　DSSC　achieves　a　high　power　conversion　efficiency　of　8.39%.　Moreover,　the　NOMC-Ni@NCNTs　CE　based　DSSC　also　manifests　a　preeminent　electrochemical　stability　in　corrosiveI-/I3-　electrolyte　with　a　remnant　efficiency　of　7.82%　after　72　h　of　illumination.　The　outstanding　electrocatalytic　performance　is　mainly　correlated　with　their　unique　architecture,　in　which　the　pinned　Ni@NCNTs　conductive　substrate　accelerates　the　electron　transportation　among　NOMC　micron-particles,　and　the　amorphous　NOMC　with　short-range　mesopores　accelerates　the　electrolyte　diffusion　and　supplies　abundant　ions-accessible　defects　for　I3-　reduction.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.