Ni/NiO-MC　(MC　=　mesoporous　carbon),　with　Ni　and　NiO　nanoparticles　well　distributed　on　MC,　has　been　successfully　synthesized　by　pyrolysis　of　a　Ni/mesostructured　polymer　framework　precursor　preparedviaan　ion-exchange　process　between　Ni2+in　[Ni(NH3)6]2+and　H+in　the　polymeric　gel.　Due　to　the　synergistic　effect　played　by　Ni,　NiO　and　MC,　the　as-synthesized　Ni/NiO-MC　showed　superior　performance　for　the　transfer　hydrogenation　of　levulinic　acid　(LA)　to　produce　γ-valerolactone　(GVL),　with　99.9%　of　LA　converted　and　a　yield　of　99.5%　to　GVL　at　200　°C　over　Ni/NiO-MC　with　a　Ni : LA　molar　ratio　of　1 : 50.　Even　with　only　a　small　loading　amount　of　Ni　(1.12　wt%)　in　Ni/NiO-MC,　the　as-obtained　Ni/NiO-MC　still　show　a　high　turnover　frequency　(TOF)　of　10.80　h−1for　the　formation　of　GVL,　comparable　to　those　previously　reported　over　Ni-based　catalysts　(with　a　Ni　amount　ranging　from　15　to　65　wt%)　for　transfer　hydrogenation　of　LA　to　produce　GVL.　This　study　not　only　provides　an　efficient　and　economical　Ni-based　catalytic　system　for　the　hydrogenation　of　LA　to　produce　GVL,　but　also　highlights　the　great　potential　of　using　MC　as　an　ideal　support　in　fabricating　highly　efficient　catalytic　systems.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry　2021.