This review article is devoted to the materials containing niobium and modified by the addition of different metals or thio- and amino-organosilanes towards the creation of new surface properties and enhancement of catalytic activity. The intention is to show and discuss the role of niobium supported on molecular sieves in the enhancement of the redox properties of transition metals (copper, silver, gold, platinum) and acidic or basic properties of the catalysts as well as to consider redox properties of pure and modified bulk niobium(V) oxide. This paper covers the contribution to the knowledge of this area brought over the last 15 years by our research team. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.