The invention discloses a smelting furnace for nickel-bearing laterite ore, comprising a furnace body, a gunjet for top combustion, a side-blown jugjet and an electrode. A hearth is limited in the furnace body; a smelting bath is arranged at the lower part of the hearth, and the furnace body is provided with a charging hole for adding materials to the hearth, a smoke outlet, a nickel outlet and a dreg outlet; the lower end of the gunjet for top combustion extends from the top of the furnace body to the hearth and is located at the upper side of the smelting bath and sprays pulverized coal and oxygen to the upper part of the hearth towards the smelting bath; the side-blown gunjet extends from the lateral side of the furnace body to the smelting bath to spray the pulverized coal and oxygen; and the lower end of the electrode extends to the smelting bath to heat the melt in the smelting bath and clarify and separate dregs from nickel and ferrum. The smelting furnace for the nickel-bearing laterite ore has the advantages of low cost and energy consumption, good operating environment, low pollution and simple process.