On　account　of　its　high　theoretical　capacity　and　excellent　electrical　conductivity,　Co9S8　as　a　promising　electrode　material　in　lithium-ion　batteries　(LIBs)　has　attracted　significant　attention.　In　the　present　work,　a　simple　one-step　route　is　developed　for　fabricating　cobalt　sulfide　(Co9S8)　nanoparticles　embedded　into　N/S　co-doped　carbon　frameworks　(Co9S8/NSC)　using　a　sulfonate-based　cobalt　metal-organic　framework　(MOF)　as　a　precursor　for　the　first　time,　in　which　decomposition　and　in　situ　sulfidation　processes　are　simultaneously　executed　in　the　absence　of　additional　sulfur　source.　As　an　anode　for　LIBs,　the　hybrid　composite　Co9S8/NSC　shows　excellent　reversible　capacity,　high　rate　performance　and　long-term　cycling　stability.　For　instance,　a　reversible　capacity　of　1179　mA　h　g-1　can　be　achieved　after　200　cycles　at　a　current　density　of　0.1　A　g-1.　When　cycled　at　2　A　g-1,　it　also　maintains　a　high　specific　capacity　of　789　mA　h　g-1　after　1000　cycles.　Such　a　superior　performance　may　be　attributed　to　its　structural　advantages　that　the　smaller　Co9S8　nanoparticles　embedded　into　N/S　co-doped　carbon　could　enhance　the　active　sites,　electrical　conductivity　and　cycling　stability.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.