The development of non-precious metal-based highly active bi-functional electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical factor for making water electrolysis a viable process for large-scale industrial applications. In this study, bi-functional water splitting electrocatalysts in the form of nickel-sulfide/nickel nanoparticles integrated into a three-dimensional N-doped porous carbon matrix, are prepared using NaCI as a porous structure-forming template. Microstructures of the catalytic materials are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and N-2 adsorption-desorption analysis. The most active catalyst synthesized in this study exhibits a low HER overpotential of 70 mV at 10 mA cm(-2) and a low Tafel slope of 45 mV dec(-2). In OER, the optimized sample performs better than a state-of-the-art RuO2 catalyst and produces an overpotential of 337 mV at 10 mA cm(-2), lower than that of Ru02. The newly obtained materials are also used as HER/OER electrocatalysts in a specially assembled two-electrode water splitting cell. The cell demonstrates high activity and good stability in overall water splitting. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.