Nigeria and Barcelona talisman Asisat Oshoala has been named the 2022 African Women’s Player of the Year.

The 27-year-old picked the award yesterday night ahead of Ajara Nchout Njoya (Cameroon and Inter Milan) and Zambia international Grace Chanda (Zambia and BIIK Kazygurt).

With this, she becomes the first African to win this prestigious for a record five times, overtaking Perpetua Nkwocha who claimed the accolade on four occasions.

The 2021-22 campaign was arguably Oshoala’s best yet as she played a key role in her Spanish side’s treble charge – the Spanish Women’s Super Cup, Copa de la Reina and the Primera Division.

Although, she missed a couple of matches due to injury, that did not stop her from emerging as league joint-topscorer after netting 20 goals in 19 league appearances to share the award with Brazilian Geyse Ferreira, who managed the same number of goals in 27 appearances for Madrid CFF.

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The men’s award went to Sadio Mane of Senegal, who became the 10th player to win the African Footballer of the Year award more than once.

Mane topped the vote ahead of former Liverpool teammate Mo Salah and Chelsea’s Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Salah was the standout player in England’s Premier League last season, winning the Golden Boot with 23 goals and topping the assists chart with 13.

But Mane, who left Liverpool to sign for Bayern in June, twice got the better of Salah at international level.

Mane’s Senegal beat Salah’s Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations final in February and then again in a World Cup qualification play-off in March.