Pyridine-bridged bis-benzimidazolylidene nickel complexes exhibited very high catalytic activity toward cross coupling of inactive (hetero)aryl benzylic ammonium salts with (hetero)aryl and alkenyl boronic acids under mild reaction conditions. Even at 2 mol% catalyst loading, a wide range of substrates for both coupling partners with different steric and electronic properties were well tolerated. (C) 2016 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.