The invention provides a catalyst composition comprising copper and iron on a support for use in a process for the synthesis of higher alcohols from a syngas feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, wherein the support is a carbon-containing support selected from carbon nanofibers and/or carbon nanotubes, wherein the total content of iron and copper is ranging from 1 to 10 wt% based on the total weight of the catalyst composition and as determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, wherein the Cu/Fe ratio is ranging from 0.5 : 1 to 5 : 1, and in that the carbon-containing support has a hollow-core structure with an inner diameter of at least 17 nm as determined according to N2 sorption analysis. The invention also provides a process for the synthesis of higher alcohols from a syngas feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide using such a catalyst composition.