It has very dark brown fur, with bands of white hair on the lower surfaces of the wings join the body.

The head is flattened in shape, with large round ears connected by a band of skin rolled over into a ridge.

A more southerly subspecies, N. nigeriae spillmanni, is found from the southernmost parts of Congo to Botswana and from Angola to Tanzania and Malawi.

Breeding occurs around the beginning of the rainy season, with young being born between June and August in the north, and around December in the south.

There is a large glandular sac attached to the duodenum, which is lined by Brunner's glands, and secretes alkaline mucus into the intestine to neutralise excess acid from the stomach.