The thermal decomposition method may be what you are looking for, check this article here the authors got good results. Article ESTUDIO DE MEZCLA DE NANOPARTÍCULAS SULFURADAS Y OXIDADAS DE...
If you want to deposit a layer of nickel over substrate, you can try physical vapor deposition using sputtering machine or laser beam in vacuum chamber. If you want the catalyst to be within the structure of supporting material, you can try graphene doped with Ni or carbon nanofiber doped with Ni.
I would wisely choose the support first. Particle sizes within that range (1-3 nm) require a good dispersion of nickel on the support, which in turn is more likely to happen if there is a strong interaction between nickel particles and the carrier. However, the support may also alter the mechanism of reaction and lead, in the best case scenario, to synergy with the active phase so you may end up with a better catalyst than only unsupported nickel nanoparticles.