The northern needle-clawed bushbaby is endemic to west central Africa where its range extends from the Niger River, in Nigeria, to the Sanaga River in Cameroon. The subspecies E. p. pallidus is present on the island of Bioko in the Gulf of Guinea, while the subspecies E. p. talboti occurs over the rest of the range. It is found in both primary and secondary moist lowland forest, mostly in the upper and middle parts of the canopy. It also occurs at higher altitudes in high rainfall areas such as Mount Kupe and Mount Cameroon.