Abstract In the present work, the nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) were prepared over various transition metal loaded mesoporous SBA-15 catalysts by the CVD method for supercapacitor application. Mesoporous Siliceous SBA-15 support and transition metals (Cr, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) loaded SBA-15 (M/SBA-15) catalysts were prepared through hydrothermal and wet impregnation process, respectively. The catalytic performance of all the prepared catalysts were evaluated by synthesizing NCNTs by CVD at 800 °C using triethylamine as the precursor. The NCNTs produced over Ni/SBA-15 have an outstanding specific capacitance of 263 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 in 1.0 M H2SO4 aqueous solution according to the electrochemical investigations because of its increased nitrogen content of 3.2 at.%. Furthermore, a two-electrode based symmetric device was construct and tested. The fabricated device showed the specific capacitance of 113 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 with high energy density of 10 W h Kg−1 at the power density of 333 W kg−1. The NCNT showed 96 % of capacitance retention even after 1000 cycles. The synergism of high nitrogen content and bamboo-like graphitized structure resulted in excellent specific capacitance, better cycle life and rate performance of the prepared NCNTs as supercapacitor electrode.