This study investigated consumer perceptions of tomato scarcity in Southwest Nigeria, between January and July 2024, with a particular focus on awareness, adaptive strategies, and sustainable practices for improved food security. This research adopted a quantitative approach using a structured questionnaire administered via Google Forms. Participants were recruited by means of convenience sampling with informed consent. The questionnaire consisted of multiple-choice and Likert-scale questions focused on perceived causes of tomato scarcity, consumer reactions and coping mechanisms, and expectations on future scarcity scenarios. Of 150 individuals, 71 responded. Upon screening, 60 valid responses were from Southwest Nigeria. Using both descriptive and inferential statistics, this study found that while 100% of respondents recognised the existence of tomato scarcity during the period, only 40% were aware that Tuta-absoluta is the leading cause. Two recognised major root causes of scarcity are poor transportation infrastructure (70%) and inadequate storage facilities (61.6%). Other key causes are seen to be climate change (65%) and the recent fuel subsidy removal (73.4%). Consumers have responded to scarcity by cutting tomato consumption (66.7%), switching to concentrated tomato products (66.7%), and changing their cooking habits (56.7%). Two most often used substitutes are tomato paste (66.7%) and onions (63.4%). Investing in disease-resistant cultivars (73.4%), building new storage facilities (90%), and improving transportation infrastructure (91.8%) were perceived as suitable ways to avoid future tomato scarcity. These results indicate that consumers recognize that tomato scarcity in Nigeria results from numerous interconnected factors and believe that comprehensive solutions like adopting sustainable agricultural techniques, infrastructure development, and farmer education can combat it.