There is provided a niobium alloy powder suitable for manufacturing solid
electrolytic capacitors having small leakage currents and high
capacitances, where the powder is obtained by enhancing the thermal
stability of the niobium oxide coating film while improving the
temperature dependence of the sintering behavior of the powder. The
niobium alloy powder includes one or more of molybdenum, chromium, and
tungsten each with a content of 0.002 to 20% by mass, and phosphorus and
boron each with a content of 0.002 to 5% by mass, and moreover, includes
hydrogen with a content of 0.005 to 0.10% by mass, the balance being
substantially niobium; the specific surface area of the powder is from 1
to 20 m.sup.2/g; the powder has a cumulative pore volume of 0.2 ml/g or
more; and the cumulative volume of the pores each having a diameter of 1
.mu.m or less makes up 10% or more and the cumulative volume of the pores
each having a diameter of 10 .mu.m or less makes up 40% or more in
relation to the total cumulative pore volume.