 Kosti was founded shortly after 1899 by the Greek merchant Konstantinos “Kostas” Mourikis, who arrived in Sudan along with his brother following the Anglo-Egyptian victory over the indigenous Mahdist state.He set up a store on the White Nile, where pilgrims from West Africa to Mecca and Southern trade routes crossed.The settlement soon grew to a town and was named after "Kostas", illustrating the important role played by the Greeks in Sudan, especially in the field of trade.