It is found in Central African Republic, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, and the extreme northeast of Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Uganda.

It occurs in woodlands of the eastern Sahel, between 200m and 1200m altitude (and as high as 2134m in western Sudan).

The black-breasted barbet's range is largely in South Sudan.

[3] This frugivorous barbet is known to frequent fig trees in Zakouma National Park in the dry season.

As these riverine areas flood heavily in the wet season, their movements are unknown but they are not presumed to be migratory.