  Nozi$\grave{e}$res' exhaustion theory argues the temperature for coherently
screening of all local moments in Kondo lattice could be much lower than the
temperature of single moment screening with insufficient number of conduction
electrons. Recent experiment [Luo et al, PNAS, 112,13520 (2015)] indicates the
cerium based nickel pnictides $CeNi_{2-\delta}As_2 (\delta\approx0.28)$ with
low carrier density is an ideal material to exam such protracted Kondo
screening. Using the density functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory,
we calculated the respective electronic structures of paramagnetic
$CeNi_2As_2$/$CeNi_2P_2$. In contrast to structurally analogous layered iron
pnictides, the electronic structures of the present systems show strong
three-dimensionality with substantially small contributions of Ni-3d electrons
to the carrier density. Moreover, we find significant Kondo resonance peaks in
the compressed $CeNi_2As_2$ and $CeNi_2P_2$ at low temperatures, accompanied by
topological changes of the Fermi surfaces. We also find similar quantum phase
transition in $CeNi_2As_2$ driven by chemical pressure via the isovalence
As$\rightarrow$P substitution.
