This species is widespread in riparian habitats in low lying acacia woodland, thorn scrubland and savanna (Vonhof and Kalcounis 1999). It is generally associated with open habitats and is probably absent from undisturbed rainforest (Koopman pers. comm. in Vonhof and Kalcounis 1999). It usually roosts as individual animals in tree hollows, but has been recorded roosting in buildings (Rosevear 1965; Happold 1987; Vonhof and Kalcounis 1999).

This widespread African bat is broadly distributed south of the Sahara from Gambia (Grubb et al. 1998) and Senegal, through much of West and Central Africa, to southern and central Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia (Yalden et al. 1996) and Somalia in the east (Funaioli and Simonetta, 1966); from here it ranges southwards as far as northern Zambia (Ansell 1978) and northern Malawi (Ansell and Dowsett 1988; Vonhof and Kalcounis 1999). It is typically a lowland species found below 2,000 m Asl.

It is present in a number of protected areas (e.g.. Garamba National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo). Other than studies into the possible effects of human activity on population dynamics of this bat, and additional research into the range of this species, no conservation measures are currently needed for this widespread species.