Carbon-coated magnesium ferrite composite nanofibers (MFO/C) have been synthesized via a combination of electrospinning and carbonization process. The as-prepared MFO/C with uniform carbon layers were explored as anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Electrochemical results show that benefiting from its appropriate carbon coating, MFO/C-2 can deliver a reversible capacity of 743 mAh g(-1) after 200 cycles at 0.1 A g(-1) and keep a stable capacity of 451 mAh g(-1) at a high current density of 2 A g(-1), which indicates MFO/C-2 are very prospective anode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.