Sodium beta-alumina (SBA) nano-powders were synthesized by the citrate sol-gel process, and the effects of the cationic surfactant n-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant (CTAB) were investigated. The structure and morphology of the nano-powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) techniques, respectively. The effects of CTAB on the citrate sol-gel process and the SBA formation were investigated by thermo gravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The conductivity of ceramic pellets of SBA was measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed that the CTAB inhibited the agglomeration of SBA powders effectively and consequently decreased the crystallization temperature of SBA, about $150^{circ}C$ lower than that of the sample without CTAB. The measured conductivity of SBA was $1.21{ imes}10^{-2}S{cdot}cm^{-1}$ at $300^{circ}C$.