The present study deliberates the nanofluid flow containing multi and single-walled carbon nanotubes submerged into Ethylene glycol in a Darcy–Forchheimer permeable media over a stretching cylinder with multiple slips. The innovation of the envisaged mathematical model is enriched by considering the impacts of non-uniform source/sink and modified Fourier law in the energy equation and autocatalytic chemical reaction in the concentration equation. Entropy optimization analysis of the mathematical model is also performed in the present problem. Pertinent transformations procedure is implemented for the conversion of the non-linear system to the ordinary differential equations. The succor of the Shooting technique combined with the bvp4c MATLAB software is utilized for the solution of a highly nonlinear system of equations. The impacts of the leading parameters versus engaged fields are inspected through graphical sketches. The outcomes show that a strong magnetic field strengthens the temperature profile and decays the velocity profile. Also, the fluid velocity is lessened for growing estimates of the parameter of slip. Additionally, it is detected that entropy number augmented for higher thermal relaxation parameter and Reynolds number. To substantiate the existing mathematical model, a comparison table is also added. An excellent correlation is achieved here.