Nickel oxide/multi-walled carbon nanotube (NiO/MWCNT) composites were fabricated via a vacuum solution infiltration method combined with a calcination treatment. The crystalline structure and morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The specific surface area, pore size, and pore volume were obtained by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The as-prepared NiO/MWCNT composites deliver an initial discharge capacity of 1,015 mAh g−1 with 86 % capacity retention (873 mAh g−1) after 50 cycles at a current rate of 0.1 C. The enhanced electrochemical performance is ascribed to the nanosized NiO and MWCNTs which can act as buffering matrix to relax the volume expansion and electron transfer conductor in the composites.