The title compound, [Ni(NCS)(2)(C(9)H(8)N(2))(4)], crystallizes with two independent half-mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit and the Ni(II) ions situated on centres of symmetry. In both independent mol-ecules, the Ni(II) ion displays a compressed octa-hedral environment formed by four N atoms from the 1-phenyl-1H-imidazole ligands, which define the equatorial plane, with a mean Ni-N distance of 2.119 (11) Å, and two axial N atoms from two NCS(-) anions, with a mean Ni-N distance of 2.079 (7) Å. The crystal packing exhibits weak inter-molecular S⋯S contacts of 3.411 (2) Å.