Retaining a talented workforce is a crucial concern for any organization. This study aimed to examine the level and predictors of organizational commitment among Ethiopian public university instructors. The objectives were to measure the levels of emotional intelligence, effective communication, and organizational commitment; test the relationships among these variables, and investigate whether emotional intelligence and effective communication predict organizational commitment. A total of 654 instructors from Ethiopian public universities participated in this study. They were randomly selected using random sampling and completed a survey questionnaire adapted to the Ethiopian public university context. The data were analyzed using one-sample t-tests, correlations, multiple linear regressions, and mediation analysis. The results showed that the instructors had high levels of emotional intelligence and effective communication but low levels of organizational commitment. There were significant positive correlations among these variables. Effective communication partially mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and organizational commitment. It was the strongest predictor of organizational commitment, followed by emotional intelligence. These predictors explained 18.9% of the variance in organizational commitment. The study concluded that emotional intelligence and effective communication are vital for enhancing organizational commitment among university instructors. The study recommends that relevant stakeholders pay attention to these issues and provide training and support for instructors to improve their skills, attitudes, and competencies.