Makata was trained in sculpture at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, an arts programme that is synonymous with an emphasis on a conceptual approach to art, one that prioritises ideas over techniques. Yet, before his artistic training at university, Makata was already well versed in the processes of art production. After being discovered at the age of eleven by a local artist, Makata worked as a studio assistant for a woodcarver and learned the skills of his trade.