Shortlist of five candidates - but Salah wins
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Naby Keita, Sadio Mane and Victor Moses miss out
Third Egyptian winner after Mohamed Barakat in 2005 and Mohamed Aboutrika in 2008
Award started as BBC African Sports Star of the Year in 1992
Efan Ekoku
Former Nigeria international
I'm a bit disappointed from a Nigerian point of view.
He has excelled over the last 18 months - he is dynamic, reliable. Since Antonio Conte arrived at Chelsea he has done very well. Probably the most consistent African player over the last 18 months.
Victor Moses
Image source, Getty ImagesYep, it's the Chelsea man. He has had some injury problems this season but is fit again.
Club: Chelsea
Nation: Nigeria
Age: 26
Club efforts in 2017: After years of loan moves, the 26-year-old finally cemented his role at Stamford Bridge - so much so that he became an integral member of their Premier League-winning team.
As well as winning the Premier League, Moses also received an FA Cup runners-up medal after Chelsea lost to Arsenal in a final where the Nigerian tinged his successful campaign with a red card.
International efforts in 2017: Moses played only three internationals this year, but in his first he scored in a sensational 4-0 destruction of Cameroon that knocked the African champions out of qualifying and smoothed Nigeria's eventual passage to a third straight World Cup.
No time to waste here, we will be saying goodbye to another candidate very soon.
Efan Ekoku
Former Nigeria international
I rate him very highly for a young guy. To thrive in a team like Leipzig, he is a real tiger, he can tackle, defend, get forward, dominate and score goals.
He is really showing some serious promise. Leipzig have a real talent on their hands.
Naby Keita
Image source, Getty ImagesHe was the last candidate to be unveiled back in November and he is the first to be named today. Say goodbye to the man from Guinea.
Club: RB Leipzig
Nation: Guinea
Age: 22
Club efforts in 2017: Made the Bundesliga team of the year - an honour bestowed by a public vote - as he helped RB Leipzig to a shock second-place finish.
International efforts in 2017: Keita is primarily on the list for his club exploits because Guinea found the road to the 2018 World Cup in Russia too tough, even if the midfielder did score in qualifiers against Libya and Tunisia.
One contender is about to fall by the wayside.....
Listen to the some of our experts from across Africa discuss who should win the award.
Lively stuff.
#bbcafoty
olorunda titus:I (a Nigerian) sentimentally voted for Moses despite knowing that Mo Salah deserved the award. A liverpool fan
#bbcafoty
Ahmed Hamdy: Salah is the best player in the Premier League
James McManus: I'm a Liverpool supporter and Aubameyang should win it clearly. It's based over the whole year. Mane and Salah have been class but are not at that level
Samuel John: Moses should win if it's really about being a consistent and proficient player.
Who will we lose first?
Remember, even though there are five on the shortlist, there is only a winner and the other four. The order in which the nominee is eliminated does not denote where they finished in the vote.
#bbcafoty
Avinash Bhavnani: As an #LFC, external fan, love that there are 2 current players, one ex player and one (at least) future player on the list.
Gabriel Zakuani
DR Congo international
It makes this award a lot more interesting that the fans choose it, and don't forget that even we as players are fans too.
Let us know - why should your favourite win?
Just watching Mimi Fawaz introduce the show - we'll be eliminating contenders left, right and centre.
Soon, there will be only one.
This is worth watching
A young footballer with a big dream
If you cannot get access to see Mimi Fawaz, former Nigeria striker Efan Ekoku and DR Congo international Gabriel Zakuani eliminating the contenders until we are left with a winner - panic not!
There is also a special BBC World Service Facebook Live that you can now follow.......
Not long now - the wait is almost over! Looking on social, I'm sensing a definite enthusiasm for this award from Liverpool fans.
#bbcafoty
Lee: Keita got my vote. Remarkable what he had to do last season with Leipzig. Atleast next season we can see him in a good team challenge the champions league. Salah and Mane were up there for me, Mane doing bits for us last season, Without him, no champions league for us.
#bbcafoty
I don't know what it says but Borussia Dortmund's official twitter feed looks fairly excited ahead of the announcement (I'm basing this on the emojis).
Not long know - we'll know the winner in about half an hour.
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Past AFOTY winners
Image source, Getty ImagesThere is a Nigerian in our shortlist this year in Chelsea's Victor Moses.
Ivory Coast's Yaya Toure and Nigerian duo Nwankwo Kanu and Jay Jay Okocha are the three men who have won this award twice.
Let's allow ourselves to reminisce about Kanu.
That hat-trick at Chelsea with the last goal bent in from the dead-ball line, the supposed size-15 feet, that distinctive meandering style. What's not to like?