In the last decades were witnesses that hydrogen is in the limelight as an environmentally benign and alternative energy source to fossil fuels. The hydrolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) is promising for the synthesis of materials/chemical compounds and on-demand hydrogen generation-based applications. Herein, cobalt embedded zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (Co@ZIF-8) were synthesized at ambient temperature via a one-pot method (within 60 ​min). X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern ensures the successful synthesis of a pure phase of Co@ZIF-8 crystals. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and nitrogen (N2) adsorption-desorption isotherm reveal that Co@ZIF-8 has a hierarchical porous structure. Co@ZIF-8 exhibited high catalytic activity for the hydrolysis of NaBH4 with a hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 7230 ​mL•gcat−1•min−1 (18 ​× ​106 ​mL•gCo−1•min−1). The high catalytic performance and the simple synthesis procedure of Co@ZIF-8 endow the material’s high potential to be a catalyst for hydrogen generation via the hydrolysis of hydrides such as NaBH4.