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The Everton midfielder, who has recently been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, has been in impressive form for both club and country and was one of 17 players shortlisted for the gong.
Players from Ghana and Ivory Coast dominate the nominees with four representatives from each country vying for the prestigious award.
Three-time winner Didier Drogba and former winners Samuel Eto'o and Michael Essien are in the running again, despite Essien missing much of last season through injury.
Egypt, surprisingly, only have Mohamed Zidan on the shortlist despite winning the African Cup of Nations.
THE NOMINEES ARE:
Steven Pienaar (Everton/South Africa)
Madjid Bougherra (Rangers/Algeria)
Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan/Cameroon)
Kolo Habib Touré (Manchester City/Ivory Coast)
Didier Drogba (Chelsea/Ivory Coast)
Solomon Kalou (Chelsea/Ivory Coast)
Gervinho (Lille/Ivory Coast)
Mohamed Zidan (Dortmund/Egypt)
Michael Essien (Chelsea/Ghana)
Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland/Ghana)
Asamoah Kwadwo (Udinese/Ghana)
Prince Boateng (Milan AC/Ghana)
Frédéric Kanouté (FC Sévilla/Mali)
Seydou Keita (FC Barcelona/Mali)
Marouane Chamakh (Arsenal/Morocco)
Victor Nsofor Obinna (Inter Milan, on loan to West Ham/Nigeria)
Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City/Togo)
