  The inverse processes of photoionization and electron-ion recombination of
(hnu + Ni XXVI --> Ni XXVII + e and (hnu + Ni XXVII --> Ni XXVIII + e) are
studied using the unified method for the total recombination. The method
subsumes both the radiative and di-electronic recombination processes and
enables self-consistent sets of results for photoionization and electron-ion
recombination by using the same wavefunction expansion. Photoionization cross
sections (sigma_PI), recombination cross sections (sigma_{RC}), recombination
collision strengths (Omega_{RC}), and recombination rate coefficients
(alpha_{RC}) are obtained for ionization balance and spectral analysis of UV
and X-ray lines. Level-specific photoionization cross sections and
recombination rates are presented to enable accurate computation of
recombination-cascade matrices for all fine structure levels n(SLJ) up to n <=
10: 98 bound fine structure levels of Ni XXVI with 0 <= l <= 9, 0 <= L <= 11,
1/2 <= J <= 17/2, and 198 levels of Ni XXVII with 0 <= l <= 9, 0 <= L <= 14, 0
<= J <= 10. Total alpha_{RC} for Ni XXVI and Ni XXVII are compared with the
existing values with very good agreement. Total recombination rate coefficients
for the hydrogen-like recombined ion, Ni XXVIII, are also presented. The
calculations are carried out in relativistic Breit-Pauli R-matrix (BPRM)
approximation with inclusion of radiation damping of resonances. With
consideration of all details of the processes, the results, which include the
level specific sigma_{PI} and alpha_{R} calculated for the first time, should
be the most accurate for these ions.
