US clothing retailer Gap Inc are to open its first stores in Africa this year.

The San Francisco based company, which also runs Banana Republic and Old Navy, plans to open its first Gap store in Egypt next month and Banana Republic stores in Morocco in October.

The stores will house Gap, GapKids and babyGap collections and Banana Republic's accessible luxury clothes and accessories for men and women, the company said in a statement.

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Gap has extended its international reach this year, announcing plans to open stores in Ukraine and Serbia as sales in North America have waned.

The company said the Egyptian store will open in the Mall of Arabia, Cairo. Two more stores in the capital – one at City Stars Mall and one at Sun City Mall are due to follow in Ocotber.

These will be the first stores on the continent, while Gap started shipping to Egypt, Morocco and South Africa last year.