A colonial, subterranean species, its natural habitats are tropical dry lowland grassland, riverside woodland and rocky places.

The species name "foxi" honours the Reverend George Fox who sent twelve specimens to the Natural History Museum in London where Thomas was the curator of mammals.

Of these specimens, nine were of a similar size and appearance and two, a male and a female, were considerably larger with more massive heads.

This mole-rat is also found in the countryside around Ngaoundéré in Cameroon, where it is common in some localities.

[1] The Jos Plateau has fertile soils and is used for the growing of crops such as potatoes which cannot be grown in other parts of the country.