An efficient method was developed for the nickel-catalyzed phosphonylation of aryl triflates with triethyl phosphite, in which KBr as an additive promoted the S(N)2 catalytic step. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of nickel-catalyzed Arbuzov reactions of aryl triflates. Most of the substrates showed good reactivity under this catalytic system. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.