Abstract <p>Nickel’s versatility in catalysis stems from its accessible oxidation states and tunable electronic structure. Recently, nickel-based metal–organic frameworks (Ni-MOFs) have drawn considerable interest as promising electrocatalysts due to their high surface areas, adjustable porosity, and structural adaptability. This review surveys recent progress in synthesizing and applying Ni-MOFs and derived nanocomposites to major electrochemical oxidation processes, specifically the oxygen evolution (OER), urea oxidation (UOR), and alcohol oxidation reactions. Rather than simply cataloging reported systems, we focus on linking material design to catalytic performance and elucidating underlying mechanisms. Notable reductions in overpotential and charge transfer resistance have been realized through approaches such as heteroatom incorporation, bimetallic/trimetallic node design, and morphological control. We pay particular attention to operando transformation into active NiOOH/oxyhydroxide phases during anodic polarization, a key aspect for identifying true active sites. These insights highlight the potential of engineered Ni-MOFs as durable, cost-efficient electrocatalysts for energy conversion technologies like water splitting and alcohol fuel cells, while also candidly addressing remaining hurdles in long-term stability, conductivity, and device-level integration.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>