The combustion technique produces ionically dispersed Ag on a nano-crystalline CeO₂ surface. The catalysts thus produced were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Catalytic properties towards NO reduction, CO and hydrocarbon oxidation have been investigated using the temperature programmed reaction technique in a packed bed tubular reactor. These results are compared with α-Al₂O₃ supported finely divided Ag metal particles synthesized by the same method. Both oxidation and reduction reactions over Ag/CeO₂ have been observed to occur at lower temperatures compared to Ag/Al₂O₃. The rate and turnover frequency of the NO+CO reaction over 1% Ag/CeO₂ are 56.3 μmol g⁻¹ s⁻¹ and 0.97 s⁻¹ at 225°C respectively. Activation energy (E_a) values are 71 and 67 kJ mol⁻¹ for CO+O₂ and NO+CO reactions, respectively, over 1% Ag/CeO₂ catalyst.