Investment in medium and large-scale manufacturing enterprises by Nigerian entrepreneurs has continued to grow; but little is known about their organisation and management in general, or the nature of working conditions and employee commitment in particular. This study examines the relationship between working conditions and employee commitment in twenty indigenously owned private manufacturing firms in Igbo states of southeastern Nigeria. The findings show that these firms have the potential to contribute to the industrial future of the country. However, a substantial number of their workers were dissatisfied with the extrinsic and equity factors of their work, which are stronger predictors of employee commitment than the intrinsic/responsibility component. To build a viable workforce for enterprise success and industrial development, entrepreneurs should invest in the long-term goals of their workers, and learn to balance their own interests with those of their employees.