Title holder Yaya Toure has been nominated for the sixth consecutive year, along with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Yacine Brahimi, Vincent Enyeama and Gervinho.
The Roma player has been a revelation in Italy since leaving English Premier League side Arsenal, scoring 10 goals in 39 games for the Serie A side.
Previous winners of BBC African Footballer of the Year award:
2013 - Yaya Toure (Manchester City & Ivory Coast)
2012 - Chris Katongo (Henan Construction & Zambia)
2011 - Andre Ayew (Marseille & Ghana)
2010 - Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland & Ghana)
2009 - Didier Drogba (Chelsea & Ivory Coast)
2008 - Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly & Egypt)
2007 - Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal & Togo)
2006 - Michael Essien (Chelsea & Ghana)
2005 - Mohamed Barakat (Al Ahly & Egypt)
2004 - Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)
2003 - Jay-Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)
2002 - El Hadji Diouf (Liverpool & Senegal)
2001 - Sammy Kuffour (Bayern Munich & Ghana)
2000 - Patrick Mboma (Parma & Cameroon)
-BBC