Purpose: The study aims to explore, via empirical evidence, executive assessment of Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduates in Nigerian companies. Design/methodology/approach: The research utilized a descriptive research design with structured questionnaire developed from relevant extant literature. Relevant data analysis, including determination of the psychometric properties of the research instrument, was undertaken via the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Findings: The research results indicate that MBA graduates in the surveyed Nigerian organizations exhibited desired managerial tendencies only at an average extent. Research limitations/implications: The limitations associated with the research include the use of convenience sampling approach, limited sample size and combination of respondents from different industrial sectors. Practical implications: The research has practical implications for organizational executives associated with management development programmes via MBA, in addition to university administrators with regard to content, format, curricula and process for MBA education programmes. Originality/value: The research is original and has practical and theoretical values.