Employee affective engagement is a critical driver of organizational success, particularly in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving dairy manufacturing sector. Despite its significance, many dairy firms experience high turnover rates and low morale, which are linked to ineffective onboarding and ambiguous career progression pathways. This study examines the collective effects of onboarding practices and career progression opportunities on employee affective engagement. Employing a quantitative research design, primary data were collected using the structured questionnaire from 286 employees across multiple dairy firms in Rivers State, Nigeria. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis. Findings reveal that while effective onboarding supports initial employee orientation, its most significant impact on affective engagement is realized indirectly by shaping perceptions of long-term career growth. Employees demonstrate higher levels of affective engagement when onboarding processes clearly signal structured opportunities for advancement, skill development, and promotion. It was concluded that onboarding should be positioned not merely as an introductory activity but as the foundation for transparent career pathways. The study recommends that organizations embed career development within onboarding by incorporating career planning, mentorship, and goal-setting into induction processes. In addition, firms should prioritize continues training and development, ensuring continuous skills enhancement aligned with employees’ career aspirations.

 Keywords: Employee Engagement, Organizational success, Diary manufacturing, Onboarding