This study examines knowledge hiding behaviors in Ethiopian public sector organizations, exploring their prevalence, antecedents, and organizational consequences. Data were collected from 220 employees, reflecting a balanced gender distribution and predominantly mid-career professionals with moderate work experience, providing a representative sample for analyzing knowledge-sharing practices. A mixed-method approach was employed, with survey measuring three forms of knowledge hiding playing dumb, evasive hiding and rationalized hiding and interviews offering contextual insights specific to the Ethiopian public sector. Findings indicate that rationalized hiding is most prevalent, followed by evasive hiding and playing dumb. Regression analyses reveal that perceived organizational injustice, lack of trust, competitive culture, and weak knowledge management systems significantly predict knowledge hiding, with perceived injustice and low trust having the strongest effects. Knowledge hiding negatively impacts on team performance, innovation and organizational trust in Ethiopian public sectors. The study underscores the multidimensional and context-specific nature of knowledge hiding and highlights the need for interventions promoting fairness, trust, collaborative culture and effective knowledge management to enhance organizational effectiveness in Ethiopia.