John Mikel Obi has emerged as the only Nigerian shortlisted for the top ten of the 2012 African Footballer of the Year.

Others shortlisted alongside the Chelsea midfielder are Alexander Song (Cameroon), Andre Ayew (Ghana), Christopher Katongo (Zambia), Demba Ba (Senegal), Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire), Gervais Lombe Yao Kouassi also known as Gervinho (Cote d’Ivoire), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Younes Belhanda (Morocco) and Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire).

Mikel’s nomination among the top ten on the continent this year is no doubt influenced by his yeoman role in Chelsea’s win of the UEFA Champions League.

Two other Nigerian players, Victor Moses and John Utaka, who were in the 34-man shortlist failed to reach the last ten.

CAF announced the ten shortlists on its website late Sunday.

The list of ten was decided by CAF’s Technical, Football and Media committees and it “will now be passed on to head coaches and technical directors from CAF member associations whose votes will decide the eventual winners.”

The ten names will be trimmed to the final three shortlists at the end of November before the winner is named at a ceremony on December 20 in Accra, Ghana.