Transformational leadership as a catalyst: Exploring the role of organizational citizenship in enhancing teacher commitment in Somaliland

Organizational commitment among teachers is crucial for educational performance, yet it faces challenges from high turnover and leadership deficiencies, particularly in fragile systems like Somaliland’s. The major objective of this study was to examine the mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior in the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment among secondary school teachers in Somaliland—an under-researched, challenging context. Using a cross-sectional survey design, we collected data from 313 teachers across 33 public secondary schools in three regions (Awdal, Maroodi-Jeex, and Togdheer). Validated instruments measured transformational leadership, organizational citizenship behavior, and organizational commitment. Structural equation modeling tested the hypothesized relationships. Results show that transformational leadership positively influences both organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior, while organizational citizenship behavior positively affects organizational commitment. Organizational citizenship behavior partially mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational commitment. These findings highlight transformational leadership’s pivotal role in fostering teacher commitment, both directly and through extra-role behaviors. The study provides context-specific insights for educational leadership in fragile states and offers practical implications for leadership development and teacher retention in Somaliland and similar settings.