Ce₃NiGe₂ was studied by means of DC and AC magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, electrical resistivity, magnetoresistivity and specific heat measurements. The compound undergoes two subsequent magnetic phase transitions at T_N = 6.2 K and T₁ = 5.2 K, from paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic and to ferromagnetic-like ground state, respectively. The electrical and thermodynamic behaviour is governed by interplay of RKKY, Kondo and crystal field interactions, with the Kondo temperature of the order of 10 K and the total crystal–field splitting of about 690 K.