In collaboration with the local academic community and businesses, IESE has established two new Business schools in Africa – Lagos Business School, Pan-African University in Nigeria, and "http://www.sbs.ac.ke/index.php" Strathmore Business School, Strathmore University in Kenya.

Since 1992 IESE has collaborated in a variety of ways with Lagos Business School such as an advisory board made up of IESE professors and the opportunity for students to attend IESE’s PhD program in Barcelona. In 2005, IESE signed an agreement with Strathmore University in Nairobi to establish a business school. Leading the initiative on behalf of IESE are Profs. Javier Santomá and Lluís Renart.