The Mediating Role of Organisational Commitment in the Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Employee Job Performance in Nigerian Federal Universities

This study empirically examines the mediating role of organisational commitment in the relationship between transformational leadership and employee job performance in Nigerian federal universities, with data drawn from institutions in the South East and North West geopolitical zones. Despite substantial literature on leadership and performance, the mediating mechanisms through which transformational leadership translates into improved academic and administrative performance remain underexplored in Nigeria's higher education context. A quantitative survey design was employed, with 280 academic and administrative staff across four federal universities completing validated questionnaires measuring transformational leadership, organizational commitment, and job performance. Baron and Kenny's causal steps approach and Hayes PROCESS macro for mediation analysis were used. The study draws on Bass and Avolio's Full-Range Leadership Model and the Organizational Commitment theory. Results confirm full mediation: transformational leadership significantly influences job performance primarily through its prior impact on organizational commitment, with direct effects accounting for only a minor portion of the total performance variance. The affective commitment dimension is found to carry the strongest mediating weight. Staff in universities with newer leadership cohorts, trained through recent management development programs, show stronger mediation pathways. Recommendations include embedding transformational leadership training in academic management programs, incorporating leadership style into promotion criteria for professorial cadre, and annual commitment climate audits across all federal universities. This study contributes significantly to leadership and HRM literature in Nigeria's tertiary education sector. Keywords: transformational leadership, organisational commitment, job performance, federal universities, mediation