Bulu was formerly used by colonial and missionary groups as a lingua franca in the region for commercial, educational, and religious purposes, though it is today becoming less frequent in those spheres.
Bulu belongs to the group of Beti languages and is intelligible with Eton, Ewondo, and Fang.
Bulu speakers are concentrated primarily in Cameroon's South Province, with the largest number at Ebolowa and Sangmélima.
According to ALCAM (2012), Bulu is spoken in the departments of Mvila and Dja-et-Lobo (Southern Region), and also the south of the department of Haute-Sanaga (Central Region) where the Yezum dialect of Ewondo is also spoken.
Along with the Yébékóló and Omvan languages, it is also spoken in the north of Nyong-et-Mfoumou department (Central Region) and part of Haut-Nyong department (south of Nguelemendouka commune, Eastern Region).