After completing his matric at Modimolle High School he worked on his own towards exhibitions in Modimolle, Waterberg and the National Limpopo Art exhibition.

He joined The Artist Proof Studio in January 2003. He received a Johnson and Johnson bursary and in the Pinpointone human resources scholarship for the year in 2005.

In 2005 he received his Certificate in Advanced Professional Printmaking and since then he has been involved full time in Artist Proof Studio gallery as marketing and sales administrator as well as helping oversee all aspects of running the Studio.

He exhibits regularly in group exhibitions, the most recent being Ten Years of Printmaking: David Krut Print Studio (2006). Invited artists included William Kentridge, David Koloane, Colbert Mashile and Deborah Bell. In the same year he exhibited at the Gallery on the Square in the Artist Proof Studio annual exhibition for artists and students.

In 2005 he had his first solo exhibition at the Obert Contemporary Art Gallery in Melrose Arch in Johannesburg.

He has had several commissions for murals and has also been commissioned to do work for presentation purposes ie. Work was presented to the Mayor of Pretoria and 10 paintings were commissioned for Lekas Lekalakala’s Chamber.

Nelson Makamo states that:

Currently my work reflects everyday life situations and observations of people that work in and around Johannesburg.