The 27-year-old, who has just finished a two-year stint playing in Japan seriously considered a move up north to Auckland to also play under his former Counties coach Tana Umaga at the Blues.
"It was pretty close really but at the end of the day my loyalties are here and my family was already based down here so the decision became easy for me to come back to Hamilton," Nanai-Williams said.
The utility back has already clocked up 77 caps for the Hamilton based franchise and says the chance of playing 100 games for the Chiefs is a major goal.
